From CRD Outreach & Education

As part of the multi-partner We Recycle Shell initiative, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Coastal Resources Division (CRD) has opened two new public oyster shell recycling centers and refurbished an existing site in Savannah.

New recycling centers are now open at the North River Boat Ramp (map⤴) in Camden County and the South Newport River Boat Ramp (map⤴) in McIntosh County. In addition, the recycling station on East Montgomery Cross Road (map⤴) in Savannah has been upgraded through a partnership between DNR and the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Georgia.

The We Recycle Shell program is a statewide partnership dedicated to collecting used oyster shells from restaurants, community events, and the public to support oyster reef restoration projects along Georgia’s coast. Recycled shells provide the hard surface young oysters need to attach and grow, creating new reefs that improve water quality, stabilize shorelines, and provide critical habitat for fish and crabs.

Continue reading here.

The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, deployed a 130-foot retired barge to Artificial Reef A, located approximately seven nautical miles east of Little Cumberland Island in about 40 feet of water.

The steel-hulled vessel was thoroughly cleaned and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard prior to deployment to ensure all hazardous materials and pollutants were removed. The barge now rests on the seafloor, where it will soon begin serving as essential fish habitat, providing shelter and structure for a wide variety of marine life, including snapper, grouper, sea bass, and other reef-associated species.

“Artificial reefs like this one play a critical role in supporting Georgia’s coastal fisheries,” said Paul Medders, CRD’s Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Unit lead. “They not only improve fish habitat but also create exciting new opportunities for anglers and divers.”

Continue reading here.

This is an official correspondence from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the State of Georgia government for DNR subscriber. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to our mailing list. If you wish to unsubscribe, use the link below.