Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces Project to Remove Hurricane Marine Debris and Restore Oyster Reefs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), with support and $2.9 million in grant funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, is launching a new project to remove derelict aquaculture gear from the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons and restore oyster reef habitat near Cedar Key, Florida.

"I want to thank President Trump and his administration for their strong support of our food producers, especially those working to recover from natural disasters," said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. "This project is an important step toward helping Cedar Key's aquaculture community recover from back-to-back hurricane seasons while also strengthening the coastal ecosystem. Through this project, and by turning marine debris into a resource for restoration, we are protecting jobs, rebuilding livelihoods, and improving the resilience of Florida's shellfish industry and food supply chain."

The project, carried out in partnership with the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association, will help to address the devastating impacts of the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons on Florida's shellfish aquaculture industry. Cedar Key, which produces more than 90% of Florida's farm-raised clams, suffered more than $63 million in estimated losses as storms displaced and buried tens of thousands of clam culture bags and other aquaculture gear across state waters.

FDACS will lead the effort to remove approximately 40,000 damaged clam bags and other marine debris from more than 700 acres of state-owned submerged lands leased for aquaculture. The project will also put recovered shell material and live oysters from derelict bags to beneficial use by reseeding about five acres of intertidal oyster reef habitat. Restored oyster reefs provide critical ecological benefits, including improved water quality, shoreline protection, and enhanced fisheries habitat.

In addition to debris removal and reef enhancement, the project will provide direct economic benefits by contracting under-employed clam growers as service providers. This will create immediate income opportunities for local aquaculture workers and help sustain more than 500 jobs tied to Cedar Key's clam industry. The initiative will also include industry workshops to develop hurricane preparedness guidance, ensuring growers are better equipped to withstand future storms.

The project includes a phased approach for clean-up opportunities over a three-year period. Educational webinars about enrollment and project expectations will take place in December 2025. More information will be available once a grant work plan has been approved.

For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.

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