Oyster habitat facilitators in Connecticut are aiding in the placement of oysters.

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There's a shell of a story in New England—one that's not often talked about, but it's crucial. During the summer months, you can find popular dishes like lobster rolls, fried seafood, and freshly shucked oysters. But there's a problem with these delectable delicacies—the discarded shells often end up in landfills instead of back in the water where they play a vital role in the oyster life cycle.

Oyster larvae attach to shells, growing into adults and forming reefs that improve water quality, prevent coastal erosion, and create habitats for other marine life. Two men in Connecticut, Tim Macklin and Todd Koehnke, are working to change that. They've started a statewide program to collect discarded shells from local restaurants, dry them, and return them to Long Island Sound for restoration projects.

Not every empty shell ends up headed to a dumpster anymore. As co-founders of Collective Oyster Recycling & Restoration, Macklin and Koehnke are filling the missing piece in the oyster life cycle. This non-profit organization is at the forefront of an initiative to reverse the decline in oyster populations along U.S. coastlines.

Scattered across the country, initiatives like theirs aim to prevent the continued steep decline in oyster populations, a drop that experts largely blame on over-harvesting, habitat degradation, and disease. Some of the largest programs have the capacity to process over a million pounds of shells yearly.

Connecticut's program may be smaller, but it's growing. In 2024, the program collected around 375,000 pounds of shells, and this year, with a network of about 50 restaurants across Connecticut and a commercial seafood supplier, they are on track to surpass 400,000 pounds. The unique aspect of the Connecticut group is that it's essentially a two-man operation.

Sandra Brooke, a researcher at Florida State University, says the group is among the few collecting a significant amount of shells for the size of the program. Brooke praised their efforts, stating, "Good for them."

Macklin, 51, and Koehnke, 50, fell into oyster shell recycling about a decade ago. They were members of a local shellfish commission and were surprised to learn that Connecticut, unlike other coastal states, did not have a robust shell recycling program. Weekend sidewalk visits to restaurants soon became their practice, hoping for the day when they could turn their grassroots efforts into something bigger.

That day came in 2023 when they secured a $400,000 state grant. Macklin, who had a background in television production, and Koehnke, who worked in beverage can recycling, left their full-time jobs. They recruited restaurants, promising them free participation. A truck and trailer were purchased, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The process might seem simple, but it's labor-intensive. Collective Oyster Recycling & Restoration supplies restaurants with 5-gallon screw-top buckets for discarded shells. Macklin and Koehnke pick up the buckets once a week. They transport the shells to a storage site in East Haven, a defunct quarry, where the shells sit exposed to the elements for at least six months to kill any lingering pathogens.

Once the weather warms, the shells are returned to the water at designated restoration sites. Most are planted in a state-owned oyster bed off the coast of Bridgeport and Stratford, closed to harvesting. Some also go to a small group of local shellfish harvesters who do their own restoration work.

At the dock, the shells are loaded onto boats using a conveyor belt. Oyster larvae can then attach to the shells, develop into mature oysters, and help rebuild the habitat.

"You're growing on Grandpa," Koehnke said, referring to the old shells. "It's just the perfect environment for them."

Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt says the state is tracking the shells placed on the state-owned bed. While it's too early to gauge their impact, Hurlburt remains optimistic about the program's potential to support the environment and the long-term viability of the state's aquaculture industry.

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Programs like the Connecticut group are part of a broader movement to protect and rebuild oyster populations, both in the United States and Europe.
Successful initiatives, such as those in Louisiana and Texas, show that cooperation between organizations, businesses, and communities can lead to economic, ecological, and cultural benefits.
Efforts like these help reduce waste by diverting shells from landfills, alleviate dependence on limited natural reef materials, and support indigenous land stewardship.
Some innovative programs are exploring the use of recycled oyster shells as low-carbon construction materials, with potential applications beyond coastal restoration.

The statewide program in Connecticut, initiated by Tim Macklin and Todd Koehnke, aims to reverse the decline in oyster populations, connecting efforts to recycle oyster shells and improve water quality, prevent coastal erosion, and create habitats for other marine life.
In line with the global climate-change response, science has shown that the restoration of oyster reefs plays a significant role in mitigating the effects of climate-change by absorbing carbon dioxide and providing essential ecosystem services.
By 2025, initiatives like Collective Oyster Recycling & Restoration are striving to promote sustainable-living and environmental consciousness, encouraging homeowners and gardeners to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles, including repurposing their oyster shells for environmental benefits.
Under the umbrella of environmental-science, the relationship between oyster populations, climate-change, and overall environmental health is growing more evident. To this end, efforts to preserve oyster reefs are becoming a central focus in the efforts to combat climate-change and safeguard the health of our world's oceans.
Technical innovations within the realm of environmental-science are being developed to transform discarded oyster shells into renewable home-and-garden materials, fostering a circular economy by recycling waste and minimizing carbon emissions associated with traditional construction materials.
Amid the growing momentum to combat habitat degradation and the ongoing threat of climate-change, well-organized partnerships between governments, non-profit organizations, businesses, and communities are critical to achieving long-term, sustainable goals in oyster reef restoration and the broader protection of our environment.

Oyster habitat facilitators in Connecticut are aiding in the placement of oysters.