A team of researchers are working on a project funded by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center to assess how changing conditions in the Gulf of Mexico might impact the valuable oyster fishery there. The study is led by USGS researchers at the Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
The Gulf of Mexico is famous for its salty, fresh oysters. But with more extreme weather on the way, the U.S. Geological Survey is helping identify places along the Louisiana and Texas coasts that may support good oyster harvests and successful restoration efforts in the future.
A team of researchers is working on a project funded by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center to assess how changing conditions in the Gulf of Mexico might impact the valuable oyster fishery there. The study is led by USGS researchers at the Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, where the research team is modeling how changing climate conditions may affect oysters in Louisiana and Texas and mapping locations most likely to support healthy populations moving forward. They are finding that the increased potential for extreme rainfall and storm events, rather than everyday warming, poses the biggest risks to Gulf of Mexico oysters.