Oysters for My Neighborhood is calling on local waterfront residents and businesses with docks to help place Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) in the water immediately to take advantage of the upcoming spat run.
A total of 300 VOG bags are ready now — assembled during the last two community build events in Palm Coast and Daytona Beach — and are available free of charge to anyone willing to install one on their dock on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).
“Momentum is growing,” said Chuck Gleichmann, founder of Oysters for My Neighborhood. A recent Palm Coast build brought together 42 volunteers who assembled 147 VOGs in one morning. “Timing matters,” added Gleichmann. “We need these VOGs in the water as soon as possible so they can catch the next spat run and begin supporting oyster growth and water filtration right away.”
Early results are encouraging. In a recent check of a VOG that had been in the water since last summer, volunteers found more than 40 baby oysters, a sign that local restoration efforts are working and that oysters are establishing on docks throughout the ICW.
VOGs are suspended from docks and provide a protected place for oysters to attach and grow. Oysters are natural filter feeders and play an important role in improving water quality.
VOGs can be picked up at Keys Deck and Dock Supply, located at 236 2nd St., Daytona Beach, FL, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dock owners are encouraged to stop by during business hours to pick up a VOG bag and install it on their dock. Installation help is available if needed by emailing info@oystersformyneighborhood.com.
For more information, including how to get involved in the next VOG assembly, or to donate to help clean our rivers naturally, visit https://www.oystersformyneighborhood.com/.
The post Call for Dock Owners: Pick Up a Free Vertical Oyster Garden (VOG) to Help Improve Local Water Quality first appeared on Flagler County Buzz.
