Coastal Conservation and Restoration Lab at HRI Partners with Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program on Oyster Reef Projects
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS — The Coastal Conservation and Restoration lab (CCR) at the Harte Research Institute (HRI) at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) is partnering with the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (CBBEP) on multiple new projects focused on advancing oyster reef restoration, coastal resilience, and community engagement across the Coastal Bend.
The organizations are launching a suite of collaborative research and restoration efforts, including a new volunteer oyster reef restoration event, designed to better understand how oyster reefs support healthy bays while protecting shorelines and improving water quality.
“CBBEP’s partnership with Dr. Jennifer Pollack and her team is bringing together cutting-edge science and on-the-ground restoration to advance solutions that improve the health and resilience of oysters reefs,” stated Kiersten Stanzel, CBBEP’s Executive Director. “This collaboration is helping oysters do what they do best — clean our water, support wildlife, and keep our bays healthy for future generations.”
A key part of the collaboration is a community engagement component. The CCR lab’s Sink Your Shucks™ oyster shell recycling program and CBBEP will co-host a public oyster reef restoration volunteer event at Kate’s Hole, a popular public access point on Mustang Island, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. Volunteers will help return oyster shells to the local waters, creating habitat for oysters and countless other marine species while strengthening coastal ecosystems.
One project will evaluate the role of hatchery-reared oysters in restoration and living shoreline applications. Beginning in summer 2026, researchers will deploy hatchery-produced oysters on two rookery islands being restored by CBBEP: Deadman Island in Aransas Bay and Tern Island in the Upper Laguna Madre. The work will assess how hatchery oysters can contribute to reef development and shoreline stability in restoration settings.
This effort is a collaboration between the CCR lab, Dr. Chris Hollenbeck, and the Center for Marine Aquaculture and Quality (CMAQ), a partnership between Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M AgriLife.
The collaboration also includes restoration of the Ayres Point Reef in Ayres Bay. Led by CBBEP in coordination with the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), the project will restore oyster reef habitat while constructing an emergent reef structure designed to reduce shoreline erosion and enhance coastal habitat. The CCR lab is conducting pre- and post-restoration monitoring to quantify habitat benefits for oysters.
In addition to restoration projects, researchers are exploring how oyster reefs influence coastal water chemistry. Through a collaboration funded by CBBEP with Dr. Xinping Hu at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI), scientists will examine how oyster reefs affect alkalinity and pH levels in surrounding seawater, improving understanding of how reefs may help buffer coastal systems from ocean acidification.
“These projects represent the power of collaboration in coastal conservation,” said Pollack, the Larry D. McKinney Endowed Chair for Coastal Conservation & Restoration at the Harte Research Institute. “By combining research, restoration, and community involvement, we can accelerate efforts to rebuild oyster reefs and protect the health of our bays.”
Together, these projects demonstrate a shared commitment by the CCR lab, CBBEP, and regional partners to advance science-based restoration while engaging the community in protecting the Texas coast.
For more information visit:
Coastal Conservation and Restoration lab: harteresearch.org/research/coastal-conservation-restoration
Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program: cbbep.org