The True Cost Of Losing America's Wild Oysters | True Cost | Business Insider

Oyster reefs used to line America's coastlines. Today, they've nearly vanished, thanks to overharvesting, increasingly powerful storms, and oil spills. But conservationists are trying to bring back America's wild oysters, not just for eating, but for the benefits they bring to receding coastlines. We went to Louisiana to find out what it takes to farm oysters today and learn about the efforts to replenish these little bivalves.
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The True Cost Of Losing America's Wild Oysters | True Cost | Business Insider

[@painedkillerk9]

As someone who was around in the 90s in Louisiana I can say I remember seeing mountains of oyster shells being sold as filler for holes similar to gravel. I havent seen that in years now. I guess this explains why

[@drumpftodd7887]

The 50's were seen as a great time but we needlessly destroyed our natural stocks of food. The oyster, sardine and almost every other industry can attest to the damage caused by the overproduction of natural resources.

[@Dandosa1]

Nothings changed today. It just isn’t always the USA doing it now. The USA is doing more today to speed up climate change than in the past aswell. The Usa pushes for electric cars without caring where the power needed to charge cars comes from (coal power plants usually), wildfires are running rampant due to multiple reasons, but a large one is poor forest management, and poor decisions by visitors that end up starting some fires. While the USA has limits on harvesting wildlife, we end up just buying food from other countries that don’t give a crap about limits, for example, bluefin tuna bought from japan.

[@MercenaryBlackWaterz]

Me: thinks of the chinese dark fleets of hundreds of ships fishing international waters and gets shivers. Future generations are doomed.

[@HeroOfPandas]

@@Dandosa1 yes, but the boomers did MORE damage then in the 50s than we are doing now, since they already killed most of the oysters off, as noted in the video above. The sea would be less polluted w algae growths and such if we had billions more natural water filters running, but hey I guess grandpa needed quite a few oysters w his 15 whiskeys on the weekends

[@turbolife5912]

The first step to improving the future is recognising the over production of the past and then using technologies to compensate for our mistakes , respect 🙏🏼

[@galacticwarlock2271]

Boomers had everything and they took a massive chest dump on everything. Then they hand over the earth to 20 somethings and don't understand the disconnect. Why are we struggling? Answer: you exploited everything. If you could eat it, if you could wear it, if you could watch it. If you could monetize it. You used it up. We don't even have decent wages, yet you blame us for not following your idiocy. Trumpism is the last boomer hold out. It will fall.

[@Steve-em4tb]

Cod in Canada got hit by the same near wipeout in the 1990s. Stocks are only beginning to come back.

[@cowgirlchrista]

If the state governments, DMFs, commercial fishermen and farmers were all willing to actually willing to work together, the problem would able to be solved a lot quicker and easier than they are now. That's the biggest step: getting past the politics and finding a healthy balance. Sincerely, an Shellfish Aquaculture Technology major in Eastern NC who has taken part in the Billion Oyster Project.

[@willcookmakeup]

2.5 million oysters and only 10,000 survived?! My God how did Scott rebound from that? Thats crazy determination. I cannot imagine what a loss like that must cost

[@louisfranz1941]

probably calculated loss. I guess he knows how much % die in a good or bad season

[@dspsblyuth]

Had to get the oysters humping ASAP

[@TheBlueThird]

It's more than just a lot of money.

[@jacobishii6121]

That's more like mark up and how species propagate

[@ty-re9or]

They will die soon too , because Americans have already made all species extinct , blame it on developing countries , they ended them that's it ,keep killing

[@AdrianaOrtiz-ff7mx]

The worst injury I’ve ever had was when I accidentally stepped onto an oyster bed while barefoot as a kid. I fell forward a little but kept upright and essentially danced on these poor oysters while screaming and trying to get back to the sand. I just remember my dad canoeing us back to camp while the floor just filled up with a mix of seawater and my blood. In retrospect I almost feel worse for the lil guys than my baby feet, even though I couldn’t walk right for weeks. I was probably an apocalyptic event in that colony

[@MarkWTK]

they must have passed down that story across generations

[@kcgfy81]

OMG thas terrifying. Me remembers of stepping on Legos. Those mechanic pieces are the worst.

[@peterarnaldo2418]

For asians, thats part of the norm, except for the part of dancing XD

[@tavianbooks]

Godzilla moment

[@sylvestersalad]

Lmao an apocalyptic event 😂

[@Fpl8646]

Oyter businessmen: “We use to bring in multiple 50-60ft boats DAILY and full them all with oysters” Plummeting Oyster population follows Oyster businessmen: 😦😦😦 This is crazy! Things aren’t how they used to be

[@eddiecongdon8017]

They weren't fished to extinction they were poisoned by spills and storms

[@n3v3rnyc37]

keep fishing until they're all gone then blame it on climate change

[@when_life_gives_you_limes]

* inserts surprised Pikachu meme here *

[@Heworldwide]

This is exactly the comment I was looking for

[@jeremiahalguire8231]

@@n3v3rnyc37 it's a combination of both genius

[@mattheweburns]

Not many people seem to realize the importance of coral and oyster reefs along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast. Just because they aren’t pristine clear green or blue waters like in the tropics, the reefs are just as important if not more important. If there were sufficient reefs I’m sure the water would not be as murky as it is on the Atlantic coast

[@seanriopel3132]

You have to keep in mind the massive amount of silt that is walked down the Mississippi into the gulf. Combine that with algae and cyanobacteria in warm water and you have a recipe for muddy water.

[@lostinme3191]

People don't realise shit thies day only money counts for 98% but when ecosystems will start collapsing human will understand we have no time to do anything, just feel bad for all thoes liveky creatures what get extinct because of human being

[@Mj-kb6ig]

Exactly. Growing up in Texas, I got sick of the people complaining about the dark muddy dirty water. We have to tell them, it's what the ecosystem needs in the Louisiana and Texas coast.

[@Gear5thGodNika]

Here in the philippines oysters are unlimited because we reproduce the consumed shells and its only four to five months to harvest.

[@mattheweburns]

In many coastal towns you will see buildings where they added oyster shells to concrete, I believe this is called tabby. Even sidewalks sometimes. Mounds of oyster shells were also found around native sites

[@drew899]

Fun fact about tabby. Native Americans in some regions actually would use oyster shells in their earth buildings before the Europeans got to North America.

[@richardharrison5467]

When my grandfather was a young man the fields around me were still filled with oyster Shell's where the indians lived. They shucked the oysters then used the shells to create walking areas within there towns. Just like we do with roads and side walks. It kept the pests away like ticks that thrived in the high grass.

[@missourimongoose8858]

Every building in New York city that was built back when they had oysters used then for morter

[@tvdinner325]

We lived on the Hood Canal, in WA. We collected and ate oysters there. Then, one year we had a -10' low tide. We saw the open septic lines from the old houses on the water. NEVER again!

[@andybarr6751]

Most oysters that are consumed in the US are farmed and they are very different than the native oysters. Look up "Tasty Mutants: The Invention of the Modern Oyster", and you can read how the farmed ones have had polyploidy induced in them.

[@seawaterjohnmiller7118]

yea i got canned oysters once and they were disgusting

[@emiliomunozlevine1565]

In nyc the wild oysters were completely decimated. The harbors water was completely destroyed due to this. The billion oyster project is working to restore the nyc harbor and I hope you take a look at them and see what you can do about it

[@gerardocenteno3424]

That happens when people get greedy with oysters. All year fishing them to a point of extinction.

[@mattheweburns]

Flood mitigation, coastal building projects and all fishing and farming should be collaborating together not fighting against each other

[@j121212100]

I've seen the changes to our local bay due to the decimation of our long island quahog clam stocks. Every fishery declined due to the clamming boom of the seventies and early eighties. winter flounder used to be plentiful. you could catch a bucket full in an hour. now you are lucky to catch one in a whole day.

[@DoyleHargraves]

Growing up in louisiana, our driveway was paved in oyster shells

[@yoursafeplace8476]

It's the fault of our great grandparents and grandparents. They just came in and raped the land for everything it was worth with absolutely zero mind towards conservation. Our parents generation didn't do so great with it either and it's fallen onto our generation and the next to be almost fully activated towards conservationism and figuring out how to fix all these fuckups. Unfortunately for some things it's too late or it's going to take a very very long time until we see the benefits of things happening today.

[@lup7271]

I mean you don't even have to go that far, go back to your parents or their parents and already there they were setting us up for failure. That huge island of plastic out at sea? from the 70s mostly. Boomers got to have everything and they left nothing for those who came after them.

[@countsudoku6305]

and since that time not much changed, we will continue to poison waters because of greed, until there will be too late

[@yoursafeplace8476]

@@WeissB94 Is it? I used to think it was an overdramatic statement Native Americans would make until I realized just how many things have been entirely abused to the point of extinction or near extinction. How much the literal landscape of the country was entirely overhauled. Ignorance is not an excuse. Plenty of decision makers had the benefit of knowledge starting in the mid-late 1800's up until current times. They just chose to ignore it. I've got plenty of appreciation for how we got to where we are now but while your everyday person may be able to get away with ignorance as an excuse. As said, those at the top had the knowledge they just ignored it for profit.

[@jordanharer9931]

Did you not hear that even in the 90’s and 2000’s this has been happening?!? This is recent. Our generation is just as bunk and obviously just as lacking in the accountability department, if you’re any indication.

[@smrtrthnu1571]

Get over yourself. Every generation is guilty of terrible ignorance and makes huge mistakes in some regard or another to nature. And it has been going on since the dawn of time. Ancient humans pretty much hunted alot of the large land mammals to extinction way back in the ice age. Each generation learns a little more and hopefully can do a little better but we'll see

[@cofee28]

As a carpenter living in Minnesota. I recall doing work on a building that was full of oyster shells. Apparently they would ship them up to Minnesota by barge loads as a supplement for chickens.

[@ayeshaclassesgk]

मैं आशा करती हूं कि यह चैनल कभी खत्म न हो और खुशियां फैलाता रहे।

[@cindysmith5104]

50,60 foot boats everyday? I wonder why your in this position today....

[@dodoextinct4597]

You are*

[@Coquette974]

@@dodoextinct4597 you’re* 🤓🤓🤓

[@dodoextinct4597]

@@Coquette974 both means the same thing 🤚🤓

[@Sol-os5pk]

Oysters grow pretty quickly. The problem, the single largest problem which we should be fighting against every single day is climate change. We know that its the largest threat to humanity and yet we refuse to do something because its easier to deny and ignore. Thats whats killing oysters and so many other extremely important species. Biodiversity has been falling at unprecedented rates never seen before in the history of the earth. The results of this will be so disastrous that we cannot even image the amount of carnage.

[@Mcnibbus]

That isn’t the reason you manus. (Idiot for those ill informed) global warming and man made disasters are to blame

[@keza3250]

Australia had the world's largest commercial oyster an shellfish beds but by ww2 we had depleted them restoring shellfish beds is great for your economy an ecosystem

[@rono4723]

Never cared for em' raw, but love em' smoked open on the barbie with lots of beer or deep fried with egg wash & cracker crumbs. I'm in Washington state, probably not how they do it in New York City, lol.

[@rebeccamoyer9358]

I love oysters so much but they’re unbelievably expensive now and I can see why. I can’t even swim in the same waters I grew up swimming in every day. What’s happening to this country?

[@shino8854]

Come to Spain, nice clean waters here, I wouldn't reccomend the oysters though, unless it's winter.

[@tauiattwood6566]

It's not that you could swim in that water, it's just that you didn't know you shouldn't, and one day someone pointed out that you shouldn't. It's the price of the 20th century wild industrial expansion, why bother being conscious about, say, mercury poisoning and pollution when there's so much gold to be made , the wars didn't help either, who's gonna care about chromium slag seeping into underground water systems when our men are dying in the fronts. Just to mention a fraction.

[@lup7271]

well, capitalism kinda happened, gotta keep a leash on it or it will suck your natural resources dry and poison the land. since it's cheaper to do that and their only goal is to maximize profits over all else.

[@dspsblyuth]

It’s called the free market and it will eventually kill us all in the name of profit and power

[@Kiiba88]

The real problem is that people at the end of their life are making laws for the rest of us to follow. Those people are easily swayed by corporate money. We have about 50 years before it's too late to do anything about climate change. Maybe then the government will actually do something. Extinction is assured.

[@lutomson3496]

over harvesting...never heard a word about letting them come back like the abalone here in california have been poached and over harvested and the season is shut off till they can recover

[@stevenotero2627]

Abalone is a privileged item. Just like oysters. Expensive

[@33TridenT33]

I have never seen a country who says they are at the peak of innovation and saving environment but losing everything on a daily basis, still produce videos of how bad they are at everything but will never do anything to make it right. Kudos to United States of America.

[@hampps4729]

Dumbest comment I’ve ever read

[@unruly_ronin]

Lmao lowkey

[@Nick-82]

Over population and extended human lifespans contribute a lot to what is going on in our country.

[@ghostnappa2311]

It sucks cause as a regular person Here I couldn't possibly do anything to change this cause I'm too busy working to stay alive but I still get to have the embarrassment of being an American

[@jonathanhaney9235]

We try our best but at least we know we aren’t perfect. To claim you’re better than one makes you worse than everyone.

[@Zilla__man]

We're doing just fine up here in the Northwest thanks...

[@aaronjohnson718]

I don't mean to sound like a jerk but I totally like everything that they're doing to reintroduce the oysters and help with erosion and everything but there's got to be a point when we remember that we were just over harvesting I mean did we really need to take that many oysters out and the fact that back then they weren't putting the shells back to help rebuild where are the oysters are going to live it's going to take a long time to get the oysters back to where they should be but at least we're trying to be on the right path

[@dandellar200]

Yea I agree with you. It's easy to use hindsight and state the obvious decades later. It's very satisfying, crying over spilled milk.

[@cyankirkpatrick5194]

Yes, and over harvesting, also horseradish sauce reacts to luminol

[@UCBerkeley6272]

i remember you could get them in the supermarket for around $2 each

[@mck5549]

We need conservation areas. I am glad tha Scott is conscious of the need for us to preserve the heritage that the earth has endowed to us.

[@jesusisable7052]

Thanks 🎉

[@DogeMultiverse]

In the 50s there were so many oysters they had to be canned and shipped. Demand was so high and the supply matched. Now, barely any wild oysters left from the exploitation.

[@BrianKruse-wd3hh]

I agree with a few of these issues

[@shaunpreston2839]

In england we have few native oysters left but we have endless supplies off rockies seasons just about too start!

[@adrianlouviere7650]

Thanks for sharing your message.

[@inchikkkk]

Wait till they try baked oysters in the Philippines, those were lit af

[@ScottAT]

One thing people rarely discuss is Chinese Fishing Fleets operating just a few miles off the west coast, scouring everything they can get. You would think it were a national security issue however there is no political motivation for preventing it.

[@ayeshaclassesgk]

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy looking for it"❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘😘❤️

[@johnsheetz6639]

How to identify a good oyster bar right next to the water in the whole parking lot is oyster shells

[@kelliesugai-dahl1294]

Check out how Japan is using oysters to restore their bay and oceans. It’s amazing.

[@diounly5102]

It’s to late for the US 😂

[@riamriam6758]

Don’t even mention japan. They are the biggest over fishers on the planet right next to China. They do more damage than good to the ocean

[@timexyemerald6290]

​@@diounly5102 not really. as long as there are native oisters still alive. There is hope

[@teej6632]

we need oysters in the water. they do so much for the enviroment.. also they taste delicious so im gonna harvest them all

[@pepymunson2832]

Outlaw oysters in Netarts bay in Oregon! Amazing oysters!!❤❤❤

[@DanielleCapichano]

What a shame, I hope they succeed in bringing them back.

[@thebuddha4208]

Who would’ve thought you eat something for a couple hundred years nonstop pulling thousands of pounds of it out every day And it disappears

[@themaindude3218]

In Connecticut there’s a company called Coops island Oysters, we work with many oysters and clams. We even grow our own little oysters and seed around the rivers

[@watermenjohn4574]

Chesapeake Bay oysters are mostly wild and we have plenty of them. Our oysters are salty and fat. Check out America’s best wild oysters from the Chesapeake Bay. 😊

[@SIC-SEMPER-TYRANNIS]

Born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, we have the best Oysters in the World here!

[@rzpogi]

Thry could learn from the Japanese who had this problem years ago. What the Japanese did was took care of the forests upstream. The forest provides nutrients for the oysters. The oysters thus returned and increased in numbers and size.

[@nagasako7]

Instead of prison time in Louisiana, people should be made to be oyster farmers in Louisiana too boost wild population. That's one govt run thing that I would support.

[@jerrykobylt7387]

Brilliant. Prisons are a waste of money. All prisoners should serve as slave labour for the betterment of society.

[@sethnaugle984]

Me and my friend were fishing in the eastern shore and we saw a tiny island. We decided to walk around with our flip flops. We stepped on an oyster every now and then and cut our ankles up. The closer we got to the center we realized the mud we were trekking through was a safe haven for an oyster bed. We made a big mistake because our flip flops didn't stay because the mud kept taking them off and our feet were cut the hell up. That's when I learned how sharp oysters are.

[@seedspittinspacecowboy]

Yep, oyster was that kid sitting in the front and answering all the questions. Sharp indeed.

[@trebor000]

Idiot

[@m.lymann2185]

Over harvest for the past 100+ years have decimated the oysters population. These fishermen thought the sea will provide unlimited supply of oysters and other sea life. Tragic and utter lack of conservation.

[@1flash3571]

This is what happens when they are over harvested, and added to that, contaminations and natural disasters make it harder for them to survive. These harvesters should seed those waters with baby oysters and not harvest them so much.

[@longlivethefish]

Beautiful stuff I wish I could get to taste'em there in Louisiana🤤🤤🤤😎👍

[@mugzyhillbillie6284]

Get your oysters 🦪 from Humboldt County cal there amazing

[@thejtd21]

Appilachicola Bay Oysters here in the forgotten coast of the Florida Big Bend are the best Oysters you'll ever eat.

[@brandonwilson7520]

that oyster he ate in the end looked scrumdiddlyumptious, i want that minionette recipe

[@broadwaywes]

I LOVED this video, except for the part where he put his fork directly into the oyster topping touched the oyster with it, and then put it back in his bucket of sauce

[@michaeld.4521]

Weirdo

[@alanstrong55]

I always liked oyster stew. I mentioned that dish to a classmate and he answered "uhhh". I get Earl's portion.

[@Amitdas-gk2it]

Interesting

[@HideBuz]

The real reason is deregulation and pollution. Companies are dumping toxic chemicals there and have been killing all those oysters.

[@CommissionerLofi]

Hopefully... they can make a comeback.

[@Keep_Feeding_Me]

You mean to tell me we've overfished! Wow amazing

[@tranger4579]

I used crushed oyster shell in my saltwater aquarium.

[@lobsterme]

Nice

[@MICHVEl12]

Listen to this idea, I know it’s hard to understand, it’s so crazy… OVERFISHING

[@geneard639]

We need more oyster reefs to be constructed.

[@eduardozuniga6675]

I love sea food but one thing I cannot eat its oysters probably try them grill but not raw

[@makijoy]

I’m going into biotech and hoping to work with oysters at some point.

[@elluisito000]

A lot of people will be clutching their pearls after this video

[@bryanjackson405]

Our daughter & son in law are Oyster Farmers in N. Carolina. N. Sea Oyster Company.

[@F14foreverF14]

Giant Ps5 console at 8:55 LOL

[@jolynmiller3194]

YES LINDSEY!!! reuse those shells!

[@rarulis]

Yeah

[@winreacts6528]

When I was living in Washington State, I would always go out to the reefs and find oysters by the dozens. But nowadays, last time I went back a couple of years ago, the place that I always go to for a decade has disappeared and the surrounding areas. Note: Washington is FAMOUS for Oysters, you can literally find them anywhere.

[@HOTPLATEGAMING]

and famous for geoduck

[@MoZz..]

what about a quota system, we have that in EU and it works.

[@prabhushankar8520]

Good.

[@curiouslymavismade]

I wouldn't mind getting into oyster breeding. I love Oysters as a food. If their good for the environment, I wouldn't mind selling some in order to save the environment.

[@michaelburchard3131]

To archive greatness, you need to start working towards it. Investing remains the smartest way to prepare for the unexpected been into this for years now and I’m pleased with returns. The good news is it’s not too late to start

[@Johnnjlee]

Best time to grow a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.

[@johnjohnfrederickh.webber2124]

Oyster Aquaculture might help keep wild oysters available in the shores...

[@andreysamuylik8047]

Oysters are not just for eating? What a brilliant statement, who might know that.

[@Porkpickle]

I know in nsw aus any known fish nursery, you can't fish or anything. I know some entire lakes under this reserve act

[@benr7294]

Guess we know what the main reason for the drop off in water quality

[@keza3250]

Hey business insider you should take a look at Australia's oyster industry historically larger than America's an our modern oyster farmers do it on a larger scale than America ever river system has floating oyster barges with cages suspended just below the surface produces thousands of tonnes annually

[@richardrose9943]

Our federal government killed off almost all the oysters on the Mississippi gulf coast when the opened the Bonnie carry spillway

[@themanwnoname3454]

2022(G) “Respect and dignity.” Furthermore:

[@brianvillena4019]

Lime juice or chili garlic sauce on oyster is 😋😋😋😋

[@jeaneth5349]

Can’t imagine why there isn’t any oyster after farming them without giving a damn

[@kylecorrow6743]

Oh no we're running out! But let's keep eating the shit out of them.

[@timexyemerald6290]

7:14 this guy is on to something 🤔

[@elliottheyne7007]

Way to represent brother. Thank you for your conduct, candor, courage, and professionalism. Push the fight, embrace the suck, drive on...

[@ExploringJ]

Umm. Here in NC there are millions on the coast

[@mr.gamewatch8888]

Times change, things deplete and it’ll happen over and over again till everything is gone

[@jameslatofa5961]

expected from America actually im surprised it lasted this long

[@impianotespaul]

And murca is also busy preaching Brazil about the amazon. LOLz

[@babbybailey2534]

Wow, that last bite says it all, /mmmmm

[@longsleevethong1457]

In Destin we lost all our sea urchins 10 years ago

[@Crimson0047]

Not going to lie, the intro hurt me personally as a person who loves oysters on top of being from Louisiana.

[@auro1986]

the true cost is more than cost of setting up oyster farms like these

[@user-nk4ot4zh9o]

So very sad. We've taken, taken and taken more. Will we learn while there is a short time left for everything else living?