The Economic Times

In 2004, Virginia turned dredged fossil shells into 85 acres of oyster reef in one river; later monitoring counted 76.2 million live oysters on the restored reefs

In 2004, an 85-acre reef network was built in the Great Wicomico River using dredged fossil oyster shells. Monitoring revealed that this restoration successfully supported approximately 76.2 million live oysters over the years. The design allowed for different reef elevations, enhancing survival and reproduction rates among oysters. Additionally, the restored reefs improved water clarity and created habitats for various aquatic organisms.