Climate Change
In Mobile Bay, the Oysters’ Tale of Woe
Academics, conservationists, nonprofits, government agencies—and one passionate, retired scientist—are working to rebuild reefs, reduce the carbon imprint and educate the public about the importance of restoring the oyster population.
Andy Depaola looks out across Mobile Bay, where water laps against the once-hidden pilings of his neighbors’ piers. For centuries, the bay’s thriving oyster reefs created prime habitats for hundreds of fish, shrimp and crabs. The water-filtering creatures cleaned the waste, contributed to wave control and helped maintain the shoreline’s sprawling seagrasses while supporting carbon sequestration.