>> AS YOU WERE MENTIONING, GREAT DAY IS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE -- GREAT BAY IS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE, AND THEY ARE NOT TAKING IT FOR GRANTED.
>> VOLUNTEERS AND RESEARCHERS ARE IMPROVING THE BAY’S LONG-TERM HEALTH WITH, ODDLY ENOUGH, OYSTER SHELLS.
>> ONE OYSTER IS JUST NOT ENOUGH AT FRANKLIN OYSTER HOUSE.
WHEN DINERS ARE DONE DOWNING THE DELICACIES, SHELLS ARE RETURNED TO GREAT BAY.
>> OYSTERS ARE SO CRITICAL TO THE GREAT BAY, THE HEALTH OF GREAT BAY.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT ALL OF US HERE ARE DOING OUR PART TO HELP PROMOTE SUSTAINED FUTURE HEALTH OF THE GREAT BAY.
>> RECYCLE SHELLS GIVE NEW OYSTERS A BED TO GROW ON, AND THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE BAY’S LONG-TERM HEALTH.
ONE ADULT OYSTER CAN FILTER 50 GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.
THE RECYCLING PROGRAM IS ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL, BECAUSE MORE AND MORE OYSTERS ARE DYING.
SCIENTISTS SAY MOST OF THE DECLINE IS DUE TO DISEASE.
>> WE KNOW THAT DISEASE HAS GREATLY DECREASED LONGEVITY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICTURE, THE NUMBERS OF OYSTERS ARE HELLO 5%.
THE BOTTOM COVERAGE IS ABOUT 125 ACRES NOW.
HISTORICALLY, THE ESTIMATES WERE 500 TO 900, SO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT LESS AREA IS COVERED, AND THE DENSITY OF OYSTERS ON THESE AREAS IS A A LOT LESS.
>> A SCIENTIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PARTNERS WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY FOR AN OYSTER RESTORATION PROJECT.
HE SAYS THAT IN THE PAST, DISEASES THAT KILL OYSTERS WERE FOUND ONLY DOWN SOUTH, BUT AS NEW ENGLAND WATERS WARM, NEW PARASITES WREAK HAVOC ON LOCAL SPECIES.
>> YOU DON’T FIND SCIENTISTS WHO DON’T FEEL CLIMATE CHANGE IS OCCURRING.
THE DAYT -- DATA ARE SO OVERWHELMING.
>> SO RESTAURANTS TO THE RESCUE.FRANKLIN BOYS ARE HOUSED -- FRANKLIN OYSTER HOUSE IS ONE OF ABOUT A SOZEN THAT RECYCLES -- DOZEN THAT RECYCLE SHELLS.
>> MOST OF THEM ARE SALTWATER RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN.
NOT EXCLUSIVELY, BUT MOST OF THE MEMBERSHIP CARES ABOUT THE HEALTH OF GREAT BAY AND NEARSHORE FISHERIES, NO QUESTION.
>> JEFF BARNUM COORDINATED CC A’S OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM.
EVERY WEDNESDAY, RAIN OR SHINE, VOLUNTEERS LOAD UP THEIR TRAILER.
>> WE KNEW AT THE TIME THAT RESTAURANTS WOULD ADVERTISE IT ON THEIR MENUS.
THE PUBLIC WOULD BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE SITUATION IN GREAT BAY, AND THEY WOULD START TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE.
>> VOLUNTEERS HAVE COLLECTED THOUSANDS OF SHELLS OVER THE YEARS, AND THE BAY IS ALREADY SEEING IMPROVEMENT.
>> EVEN A SMALL REEF, A FRACTION OF AN ACRE, HAS DETECTABLE IMPACTS ON WATER QUALITY.
>> THAT IS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE.
TWO SUMMERS AGO, BABY OYSTERS WERE SENT INTO THE WATER IN STYLE.
WITH AN OYSTER PARTY ABOARD A OGNDOLA -- GONDOLA BOAT.
>> IT IS A UNIQUE DESIGN TO THIS REGION.
THEY COULD HAVE BUILT A SCHOONER, AND THERE WERE SCOOTERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THEY COULD HAVE BOUGHT BUILT A LARGER SHIP.
>> MATT LANG IS CAPTAIN AT PORTSMOUTH GUN BELOW -- GUNDALO COMPANY, WHICH RE-CREATED THIS VESSEL.
>> THEY WERE FIRST MENTIONED HERE IN THE 1600S.
AS SOON AS EUROPEAN SETTLERS CAME OVER, THEY WERE USING BOATS TO GET AROUND.
THEY WERE TIDEWATER TRUCKS.
YOU COULD LOAD THEM WITH LUMBER, AND THEY WOULD CONNECT THE FIVE OR SIX TOWNS OF STREAM TO THE DEEPWATER PORT OF PORTSMOUTH, WHERE THE CARGO WOULD MOVE TO LARGER SHIPS TO GO UP AND DOWN
THE COAST.
>> EXCURSIONS ARE EDUCATIONAL.
>> IT GETS VERY SHALLOW IN GREAT DAY, SO THE SHALLOWER THE BOAT, THE MORE ACCESS YOU HAVE.
>> WITH LESSONS ON THE REGION’S SHIPPING TRADITIONS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
>> WE TALK ABOUT HABITAT LOSS.
THERE’S A LOT OF EEL GRASS BEING LOST.
A LOT OF OYSTER BEDS ARE DISAPPEARING.
THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS FOR THAT.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP BRING OYSTERS BACK TO THE AREA WILL REALLY HELP WATER QUALITY.
>> AND THE GUNDALOWS RETURN ON MEMORIAL DAY WITH CRUISING ON THE RIVER.
IF YOU WANT LONGER SAILING, THEY WILL DO THAT OUT OF PORTSMOUTH LATER ON.
THEY PLAN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OYSTER RESTORATION PROGRAM AGAIN THIS YEAR.
>> IF YOU WANT TO HELP THE OYSTERS, EAT MORE OYSTERS.
SCIENTISTS ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE BABY OYSTERS AND PUT THEM ON THE SHELVES, THEN PLACE THEM BACK INTO THE WATER, WHICH IS CRITICAL.
>> I AM NOT SURE THE OYSTERS WOULD AGREE WITH THAT PHILOSOPHY.
[LAUGHTER] ALTHOUGH I AM ON BOARD FOR SURE.
FANS OF TIMBERLAND BOOTS HAVE ANOTHER REASON TO WEAR THEM.
>> OVER 270 MILLION PLASTIC BOTTLES HAVE BEEN REPURPOSED FOR