SAN ANTONIO – After oysters are shucked and eaten, their shells can still serve an important purpose: helping rebuild oyster reefs along the Texas coast.
The South Texas Coastal Initiative collects oyster shells from restaurants and events, including San Antonio’s Fiesta Oyster Bake, and sends them to the Sink Your Shucks oyster recycling program, operated by Texas A&M University and the Harte Research Institute in Corpus Christi.
The shells are used to restore oyster reefs, which provide habitat for marine life and help filter water in the Gulf of Mexico.
“One single oyster can filter 50 gallons of water, which is huge and very important for the ecosystem,” Jorge Rodriguez, a supporter of the initiative and STCI member, said.
San Antonio residents consume about 100,000 oysters during Fiesta Oyster Bake weekend alone, according to organizers of the event. STCI says recycling those shells is critical as more oysters are harvested and eaten than are left in the water to reproduce and strengthen reefs.
“We actually pick up all the shells at the Oyster Bake,” said Ernest Brown with South Texas Coastal Initiative. “We give them to the Sink Your Shucks program ... and they use them to rebuild oyster reefs.”
Oyster reefs also support fish, shrimp, crabs and other marine life.
“First and foremost, (the goal is) to clean the water, get rid of the pollution, because that helps all the other fish and animals and shrimp and crabs,” Brown said. “They’re a real key species because of what they do to keep the environment clean. They’re like trees cleaning the air.”
A company that STCI contracts collects shells from San Antonio restaurants two to three times a week. The shells must then be cleaned and prepared before they can be returned to the coast.
Brown said the work requires fundraising of about $150,000 a year. The organization raises money through fundraisers and online donations.
H-E-B donated $50,000 to support the effort.
“We were really compelled by their passion behind what they do, which is ultimately to restore the oyster population in the Texas bays,” said Lainey Riebesehl with H-E-B Environmental Affairs.
The South Texas Coastal Initiative still hopes to raise additional funds. Organizers said cities including Schertz and New Braunfels have expressed interest in starting similar oyster shell recycling programs.
The mayor of Selma was also at the fundraising event Thursday evening and told KSAT he hopes the oyster recycling initiative spreads across South Texas.
The initiative hopes to raise $150,000 per year to help rebuild oyster reefs and support oyster restoration. Organizers also plan to collect oyster shells at the 2027 Fiesta Oyster Bake.
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