SOAR: Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration
Thriving shellfish farms and healthy coastal ecosystems go hand in hand.
Program Impact
- 125 shellfish farming companies supported
- 450+ jobs sustained across seven states
- 3.5 million+ oysters purchased
- Nearly 40 acres of imperiled native shellfish reefs supported across 25 restoration sites
- 36 Resiliency Fund projects selected across 16 coastal U.S. states
Oysters are more than just a delicacy—they’re an environmental powerhouse. A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water every day, removing excess nutrients and other pollutants. Multiplied by an entire reef of hundreds of thousands of oysters, the improvement to coastal water quality can be substantial. These reefs also provide habitat for hundreds of marine species and help protect shorelines from erosion by serving as natural buffers against rising tides and hurricanes.
Despite their many benefits, oyster reefs are the most threatened marine habitat on Earth. Globally, about 85% of native oyster reefs have disappeared due to overharvesting, disease, pollution, development and climate change.
As researchers, conservationists and communities work to protect this essential and endangered habitat, farmed oysters are playing an important role. For one, they are helping meet consumer demand for shellfish, easing pressure on wild harvests. In addition to standing for their wild counterparts on diners’ plates, farmed oysters are acting as a substitute in the ocean, too: across the country, oysters are being transferred from farms to reefs, aiding in their recovery.
However, oyster farmers are facing their own challenges. Many of the same environmental factors that have depleted wild oyster populations are threatening farmed oysters as well. But even in the absence of natural stressors, there’s economic uncertainty to contend with. The vast majority of oysters are eaten at restaurants, meaning that growers’ livelihoods are largely dependent on a single market. When that market faces disruptions—as it did during the widespread restaurant closures early on in the pandemic—the shellfish industry is vulnerable to shocks, which can in turn jeopardize jobs and local economies.
Through the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) program, The Nature Conservancy is working with its partners to support a resilient oyster industry and leverage aquaculture in reef restoration—a win-win for these environmentally friendly businesses and for our coastal ecosystems.
Ensuring oyster aquaculture endures through these challenges has direct conservation benefits. Our research shows shellfish farms are good for nature, as they improve water quality and provide habitat for fish and crustaceans.
Created in collaboration with Pew Charitable Trusts, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, SOAR is taking a two-pronged approach to help both farmed and wild oysters thrive:
The Purchase Program purchases farmed oysters and uses them in nearby oyster restoration projects, providing an additional income stream for growers and aiding in reef recovery. Learn more at the Purchase Program page.
In early 2021, in partnership with Pew, NOAA, state management agencies and shellfish growers’ associations, the initiative also established a Shellfish Growers Resiliency Fund (the Fund), which aims to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable U.S. shellfish industry that benefits the ocean and the communities that rely upon it. The Fund extends awards to shellfish growers and aligned organizations to further collaborative marine conservation efforts and foster economic opportunities for shellfish farming in the United States. To learn more about the initiative, please visit the Shellfish Growers Resiliency Fund page.
Purchase Program
We are not currently accepting applications for the Purchase Program. Please check back soon!
Oyster aquaculture in the United States supports jobs in coastal communities, provides a sustainable source of seafood and can help improve ocean health by creating wildlife habitat and filtering water. But when COVID-19 and the resulting restaurant closures led to a dramatic decrease in demand for farmed shellfish, oyster farmers across the country struggled to market their products, putting more than 3,000 jobs in the oyster aquaculture industry at risk.
In the midst of this crisis, the Purchase Program was created as a way to protect oyster reefs while also helping shellfish farmers. The program purchases oysters from farms and redirects them to restoration projects, providing an additional income stream for growers and aiding in reef recovery. Since 2020, the program has deployed more than 3.5 million farmed oysters to rebuild 40 acres of oyster reef across 25 restoration sites while supporting 125 shellfish companies and preserving more than 450 critical jobs. In the second phase of SOAR, the Purchase Program expects to deploy an additional 2.5 million oysters to rebuild 30 acres of reefs across 11 new restoration sites while supporting 100 farms and 300 jobs.
FAQ
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The SOAR oyster purchase program will be deployed in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, California and Washington State.
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The geographies identified represent a mix of grower need, restoration opportunity, gaps unaddressed by other similar programs and available funding in these states.
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The aim is to extend funding to at least 100 shellfish growers in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, California and Washington State.
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We would like to make the program available to as many growers as possible in our target states; however, regulations reflecting biosecurity considerations will limit the shellfish growers that are able to move oysters to the permitted and “shovel-ready” restoration sites.
TNC and Pew are working with state regulators and restoration practitioners to identify the growing areas that will be eligible for participation in each state to make this process as transparent as possible.
Recognizing that not all growers may participate, we will aim to ensure that growers ineligible for the shellfish Purchase program will be considered for the Shellfish Resiliency Fund program, including those located in the Southeast and the Gulf Coast region.
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The Purchase Program applications will be open to growers from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, California and Washington State later this spring. Please check back soon for more information.
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For the first East Coast phase of the program, TNC and Pew are consulting with the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association, state growers’ associations and/or aquaculture extension agents and state agencies to agree on appropriate prices.
A price will be set on a state-by-state basis to reflect regional differences. Different prices for different growing methods may be set (e.g., container- vs. bottom-grown).
Prices should be considered as dynamic and may be adjusted or adapted to reflect demand for the program.
Several principles will guide pricing decisions:
- Balancing a fair and meaningful price for farmers with conservation objectives to secure a reasonable volume of product for restoration activities and the need to be judicious with donated funds.
- Utilizing available market data and reported prices to justify pricing decisions.
- Ensuring the program does not compete directly with the wholesale market.
- Ensuring prices are comparable or consistent with other similar programs that may exist.
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This will be assessed on a state-by-state basis. However, as a guiding principle, to ensure we reach as many eligible growers as possible, we aim to develop a fixed maximum sale price for any individual grower in a first round of program implementation.
If demand for the program among eligible growers has not been met by the round-one purchase, a second round of purchases may be offered based on grower revenues and scaled to the remaining funds.
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When practical and cost effective, TNC/Pew would prefer to extend funding to shellfish growers to transport product to the restoration site or specified drop-off area to provide additional cash flow to growers. Where this is not possible TNC/Pew will assist in arranging transport.
Since the cost of transport is highly dependent upon the specific circumstances of the restoration activity and location of the grower, these costs will be negotiated with growers on a case-by-case basis. Any remaining transport budget will be applied to additional oyster purchases.
Resiliency Fund Press Release
Read the releaseThe SOAR Shellfish Growers Resiliency Fund (the Fund) aims to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable U.S. shellfish industry that benefits the ocean and the communities that rely upon it.
The Fund is built upon the principle that a resilient aquaculture industry can advance conservation goals. Responsibly managed shellfish farms can provide vital ecosystem services that benefit ocean health, and, as such, shellfish growers are critical partners in conservation. Recognizing this, the Fund extends grants to shellfish growers and aligned organizations to further collaborative marine conservation efforts and increase economic opportunities for shellfish farming in the United States.
In its first phase, the Fund issued a total of $1 million for 36 innovation awards across 16 states. In its second phase, the Fund is sponsoring an additional 47 farmer-led innovation projects as well as facilitating special projects in priority states to address systemic issues facing the shellfish industry.
Formed in early 2021 under SOAR, the Fund is a partnership between TNC and The Pew Charitable Trusts, in collaboration with NOAA, NRCS, state management agencies and shellfish growers’ associations. The priorities for the Fund were established with the support of a diverse Steering Committee made up of representatives from government agencies, growers, aquaculture associations, academia and NGOs.
SOAR funding has helped us develop some really amazing marketing assets, driving even more customers to Maine’s oyster farms, raw bars, and charter tour operators.
Award Recipients
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Alaska
Kodiak Ocean Bounty: Rural Oyster Nursery Workforce Development
OceansAlaska: Alaskan Shellfish Hatchery Intern Program-Expanding Tribal capacity and providing opportunities for underserved communities in shellfish mariculture and hatchery/nursery practices
Alabama
Alma Bryant High School: Bryant Oyster Academy
Bayou La Batre Oyster Company, LLC: Solar Powered Oyster Farm
California
Hog Island Oyster Company: Fouling organism or superfood? Scaling the economic and environmental potential of edible marine algae on oyster gear in Tomales Bay, CA
Connecticut
Sixpenny Oysters LLC: SHUCKS with Sixpenny: Sharing Hands-on Understanding and Cultivating Knowledge on Shellfish
Delaware
Delaware Center for the Inland Bays: Immersive Inland Bays Internship – Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration
Florida
Bay Shellfish Company: Selective Breeding of Heat-tolerant Oysters for Climate-resilient Gulf Aquaculture
Florida Atlantic University: Innovative Cage Design to Reduce Biofouling and Associated Labor Costs on Oyster Farms
Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Association: Capacity Building Support for the Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Association Executive Director
Florida State University Coastal and Marine Lab (FSUCML): Integrating Oyster Farmers into Habitat Restoration in the Florida Panhandle
Grayson Bay Oyster Co.: Water Quality Monitoring Using Data Loggers For More Continuous Data Tracking on Grayson Bay Oyster Farm
Indian River Oyster Company: Florida Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Opportunities Project (OREO Project)
Rattlesnake Cove Oyster Company: Apalachicola Bay Aquaculture Education and Engagement
Southwest Florida Shellfish Association, Inc.: Evaluating Seagrass Response in Areas Adjacent to Clam Restoration Sites
Georgia
E.L. McIntosh & Son Seafood: Increasing Resiliency of Georgia Oysters, Farmers, and Ecosystems
Shell to Shore: Increasing Georgia Oyster Shell Recycling Efficiency via Supply Chain Integration
Tybee Oyster Company: ECO (Education. Community. Oysters) Project – Increasing efficiencies and creating a single point of education regarding the oyster as a keystone species and sustainable anchor in coastal Georgia
Louisiana
Barataria Beauties Oyster Co: Solar Powered Refrigeration for Storage and Mobile Transportation
Maryland
Horn Point Laboratory/Minorities in Aquaculture: Minorities in Aquaculture's Career Development Internship Program for Women of Color
Oyster Girl Oysters, LLC: Efficient Oyster Farming Using a Novel Cage Flipping System
Maine
Blackstone Point Oysters LLC: Damariscotta River Shared Gear Initiative
Downeast Institute: Hatchery Production of Sea Scallops to Improve Efficiency
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership: Biodegradable Solutions for Scallop Aquaculture Sustainability
Deer Isle Oyster Company: Plastic-free Flotation-A new design for surface culture oyster farming
Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center: A Co-created Network for Women and Nonbinary Aquaculture Farmers in Maine
Maine Ocean Farms LLC: Renewable Powered Oyster Seed Upweller
Mook Sea Farms: Increasing Oyster Hatchery Resiliency by Reducing Hatchery Seawater Turbidity and Water Quality Degradation Associated with Storm Events
North Carolina
North Carolina Coastal Federation: Shellfish Aquaculture Hub Phase One-Design, permitting, and pre-construction implementation
Tidal Eye: Empowering Shellfish Growers with TIM Technology
New Jersey
Barnegat Oyster Collective: Barnegat Oyster Collective's-Resiliency Through Oysters workshop series
South Bay Shellfish Company: Oyster Spat Collection for Restoration
Sweet Amalia Oyster Farm, LLC: Seeding the Future-Addressing critical seed bottlenecks and fostering diversity
New York
Peeko Oysters: Increasing Regional Eastern Oyster Seed Supply via Enhanced Microalgae Production
Southold Bay Oysters: Increasing Shellfish Farming Efficiencies by Reducing Lost Gear / Crop in Open Water Shellfish Farms
The Neguntatogue Project: Build It Back to Inspire Project
Violet Cove Oysters: Diversity Crop-Adding sugar kelp to the farm for additional revenue, water quality and storm surge protection
Pennsylvania
Fishadelphia: Building a back office and training the future
Rhode Island
Rhody Wild Sea Gardens: Creating an Oyster "Habitat Hub" and Educational Learning & Mentorship Space for BIPOC Youth and Coastal Communities in Rhode Island
South Carolina
Gullahman Oysters, LLC: Increasing Mariculture and Natural Clam Population Resilience in South Carolina
Virginia
Big Island Aquaculture: Ulva and Oyster Co-Culture-A potential climate change mitigation strategy for oyster farmers
Friends of the Rappahannock: Creating a Restoration Market in the Rappahannock River Basin
Oyster Seed Holdings, Inc.: Bio-secure Transfer of Post-set Oyster Seed from the Atlantic to the Gulf Coast
Washington
Composite Recycling Technology Center: New Paradigm for Highly Resilient and Eco-Friendly Oyster Farming
Hama Hama Oyster Company: Specialty Oyster Larval Setting Program
Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians: Triangle Cove Mixed-Use Shellfish Mosaic
Willapa Grays Harbor Oyster Growers Association: Seed Bag Pilot Recycling Program
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Alaska
OceansAlaska: Alaskan Shellfish Hatchery Intern Program—Expanding Tribal Capacity in Shellfish Mariculture
Spinnaker Sea Farms: Growing Kelp for Economic and Species Diversity at Spinnaker Sea Farms
Alabama
Alma Bryant High School: Develop an oyster hatchery and educate students through the Bryant Oyster Academy
California
Bodega Bay Oyster Company: Native Littleneck Clam Spawning, Nursing and Outgrowth in a Vertically Integrated System in Northern California
Hog Island Oyster Company: Building Farm & Ecosystem Resilience with Native Olympia Oysters (Ostrea lurida) in Tomales Bay, CA
Florida
Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Association: Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Association Executive Director Support
Indian River Oyster Company: Enhancing shellfish aquaculture resilience through co-production of oysters and urchins
Serenoa Shellfish: Exploring Secondary Uses for By-products of Off-bottom Oyster Aquaculture in Reef Restoration and Shoreline Stabilization Projects
The Florida Oyster Trading Company: Pensacola Bay Oyster Aquaculture Ecosystem Services-Based Resiliency Initiative
Georgia
E.L. McIntosh & Son Seafood: Georgia Shellfish Aquaculture—Organize, setup and launch an Aquaculture pilot program in McIntosh County Academy
Shell to Shore: Seabear “Shell to Shore” Oyster Shell Recycling and Reclamation Project
Louisiana
Bright Side Oysters: Grand Isle Louisiana Oyster Washing and Sorting Station
Maine
Maine Aquaculture Association: Maine Oyster Trail – creating an interactive, digital tourism tool that connects users to Maine oyster farms, their products, and Maine businesses that offer authentic Maine oyster experiences
Maine Oyster Company and the Phippsburg Conservation Commission: Basin Oyster Project—Building a sustainable oyster reef in a deep-water tidal inlet of the New Meadows River
Mook Sea Farm: Overwintering of late season upweller oyster seed through cold storage to increase supply of early-season seed to oyster farmers
North Haven Oyster Company: Growing Nirvana—design and test wood-based floating oyster crates for seed and grow-out of oysters as a plastic gear alternative
Maryland
William Pfeiffer: Modernizing and Enhancing the Efficiency of Chesapeake Bay Oyster Plantings
Massachusetts
Shellfish Broker: Massachusetts Oyster CSA—Providing Greater Boston Area residents access to oysters from diverse growing regions across the Bay State
Mississippi
Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United: Strengthening Oyster Aquaculture Industry Engagement, Opportunities, and Conservation in Mississippi
New Jersey
New Jersey Aquaculture Association: Targeted Marketing to Increase Market Opportunity and Improve Public Awareness of Oyster Farming in New Jersey
New York
Scrimshaw Enterprises: Aluminum oyster cages and bay scallop initiative
North Carolina
Crystal Coast Oysters: Co-culturing Purple Sea Urchins and Eastern Oysters: Evaluating fouling control and crop diversification
Sandbar Oyster Company: Developing Shellfish Leases as Restoration Sites and Sources of Oysters for Food and Off-Lease Restoration Projects
Virginia
Riggins Enterprises: Yorktown COAST: Coastlines & Oysters Advance for Sustainable Tables
Washington
Drayton Harbor Oyster Company: The Tide to Table Story of Our Watershed & Community
Legoe Bay Shellfish: Island Mariculture—incorporate nursery stock seaweeds at the hatchery and use a historic passive fishery for grow out and marketing
Nisbet Oyster Co.: New Product Innovation—creation of shelf-stable and value-added frozen products in partnership with the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center
Sound Fresh Clams and Oysters: Reestablishing Olympia Oysters in Little Skookum Inlet
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California
Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative: Moving Olympia oyster aquaculture forward in California: building partnerships and addressing bottlenecks
Florida
Cedar Key Aquaculture Association: Expanding Opportunities for Florida’s Clam Aquaculture Industry through Development of Restoration Products
The University of Florida—Tropical Research and Education Center: A Holistic Assessment of Using Shellfish Aquaculture for Water Quality Improvement Initiatives in Florida
Massachusetts
Boston University College of Arts & Sciences: Shellfish Water Quality Mobile Laboratory
Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi: Gulf Coast Shellfish Association (GCSA): Facilitating self-governance among stakeholders in shellfish aquaculture within the Gulf of America to advance regulatory reform
New Jersey
East Coast Shellfish Growers Association: Revising Best Management Practices to Maximize Ecosystem Services
Virginia
Virginia Institute of Marine Science: Oyster-associated nutrient crediting and trading: Ecological, regulatory, legal, financial, and infrastructure barriers and opportunities in Virginia
Washington
Puget Sound Restoration Fund: Using conservation aquaculture to unblock restoration bottlenecks for native Olympia oysters
FAQ
Eligibility
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An application with clearly defined shellfish industry partner(s) would be eligible. On the application under Applicant Eligibility, please select ‘Other’, and include the name of the industry partner(s). There is additional space in the Project Overview section to expand on the role of each collaborator. The program is directed mainly toward growers and closely allied organizations.
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Yes, single shellfish growers/farmers are eligible to apply. Please reach out if you have any additional questions—we look forward to your proposal!
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We’re asking that all permits, if required, must be disclosed and in good standing at the time of application submission. If permits are not currently in hand, applicants must provide evidence that permits will be secured by January 2024
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Not necessarily – if a project requires a lease or permit holder to be completed, applicants should disclose that requirement as part of their application and whether they or a project partner have the necessary permits, and that their permits are in good standing at the time of application submission—or if permits are not currently in hand, provide evidence that permits will be secured by January 2024
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The Fund is open to applicants in the United States as well as U.S. Territories and Tribal Nations. This program will seek to provide funding equitably among the following geographies: West Coast (including Hawaii and Alaska, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands and US minor outlying islands), East Coast, and the Gulf (including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands).
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SOAR is defining industry partners as shellfish growers, or industry associations or supply chain companies that support and have a direct link to shellfish aquaculture. Other entities are welcome to apply if they have a clearly defined industry partner that is one of these groups.
Proposal Development
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We hosted a Q&A session on August 21. You can view the recording here. Please reach out at any time with questions by emailing SOAR@tnc.org.
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We are willing to answer general questions about your proposal, but cannot provide in-depth reviews before the application deadline. Per the RFP, the Applicant can inquire about and clarify any RFP related questions that the Applicant does not fully understand or believes may be interpreted in more than one way.
Funding Considerations
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Funds can be used for categories included in the application, such as salary, supplies, and travel. Funds cannot be used for lobbying activities.
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The purchase of the equipment either needs to have immediate benefit to multiple industry members, be applicable only to the project use, or result in a product that can benefit many businesses, e.g. an assessment of new technology, a manual on how to incorporate new equipment, or a shared resource.
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A strong proposal should indicate the benefit and outcomes the funding would support, and how the work aligns with Resiliency Fund priorities. Existing funding should be included as an additional funding source.
Shellfish have long been an important cultural and economic resource for Indigenous peoples, Black Americans, women, and other groups across the United States. The SOAR Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative seeks to co-create opportunities for shellfish aquaculture and restoration with these and other underrecognized, underrepresented, and underserved communities to help cultivate and retain a more diverse workforce. These efforts support the SOAR program’s goal to develop and promote innovation, collaboration, and resilience within the shellfish industry.
Building off the success of the initial Purchase Program and Resiliency Fund, SOAR expanded in February 2023 to include the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative. Through conversations with community and industry leaders, the SOAR program identified a need for mentorship, community connections, practical skill-building, and accessibility within the shellfish aquaculture industry. In response, SOAR is seeking proposals for projects that address those needs through workforce development, education, and investment in resources for underrecognized, underrepresented, and underserved communities and Indigenous communities.
SOAR intends to fund three to four proposals at a value of approximately $75,000 to $100,000 each. Selected proposals will be announced in early 2025.
We’d like to thank the following collaborators for their insight, expertise and support building out the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) initiative.
Collaborators
National Collaborators
Local Collaborators
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- Maine Department of Marine Resources
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Maine Sea Grant
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- Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- University of Maryland Extension
- Oyster Recovery Partnership
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation
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- Massachusetts Aquaculture Association
- WHOI Sea Grant/Barnstable County Cooperative Extension
- Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
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- Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
- New Hampshire Fish and Game
- New Hampshire Sea Grant
- NRCS
- Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership
- UNH School of Marine Sciences and Ocean Engineering at the Jackson Estuarine Lab
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- Barnegat Bay Partnership
- Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University
- NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife
- NY/NJ Baykeeper
- Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
- Stockton University
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- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- Long Island Oyster Growers Association
- Stony Brook University and the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program
- Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program
- Gino Macchio Foundation
- Friends of Bellport Bay
- Moriches Bay Project
- Town of Brookhaven
- Town of Southampton
- Town of Oyster Bay
- Billion Oyster Project
- Friends of the Bay
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- Puget Sound Restoration Fund
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Our Staff
National Contacts
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Rebekah Borgert, Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Resiliency (SOAR) Coordinator rebekah.borgert@tnc.org
Tiffany Waters, Global Aquaculture Manager, The Nature Conservancy
tiffany.waters@tnc.org -
Rachel Winters, Associate Director of Media Relations, The Nature Conservancy, rwinters@tnc.org
Local Contacts
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Boze Hancock, Senior Marine Habitat Restoration Scientist, The Nature Conservancy, bhancock@tnc.org
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Mark Bryer, Program Director, The Nature Conservancy, mbryer@tnc.org
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Stephen Kirk, Coastal Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy, stephen.kirk@tnc.org
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Brianna Group, Great Bay Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy, brianna.group@tnc.org
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Zack Greenberg, Officer, U.S. Conservation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, zgreenberg@pewtrusts.org
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Zack Greenberg, Officer, U.S. Conservation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, zgreenberg@pewtrusts.org
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Molly Bogeberg, Marine & Coastal Conservation Specialist, The Nature Conservancy, molly.bogeberg@tnc.org
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