About the project

North Carolina ’s shellfish aquaculture industry has been small but stable for over 30 years, however, regulatory changes are creating a climate for potential rapid growth. Increased interest in shellfish aquaculture has placed pressure on resource managers making siting decisions, including whether to site aquaculture within the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve (NCNERR).

About this resource

This factsheet summarizes the results of a collaborative research project that aimed to link small-scale changes around oyster farms with larger-scale ecosystem-level alterations, and provide local assessment of ecosystem services to be considered by decision-makers. The factsheet succinctly states the observed impacts of oyster farms on water quality, sediments under the farms, nearby wild oyster reefs, and use of habitats around the farms.