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Thomas Parker
Mrs. DeBock
English IIII
03 November, 2014
What is South Carolina Doing to Preserve Its Coast?
Restoring, preserving, and protecting the coast is a vital way of keeping the environment
sustained and protecting our water life. Conserving oyster reefs is a main priority in South
Carolina; the drop in oyster population is concerning to natural wild life officials and local
residents. Marine Resources is responsible for the protection of the coast and keeping marine
animals and waterways. South Carolinas coast is home to an abundance of beautiful wildlife and
amazing ecosystems that provide many jobs and a great amount of food for the state. South
Carolina is preserving its coast by monitoring marine environments, restoring oyster reefs, and
protecting it from a wide variety of threats. South Carolina is preserving its coast by monitoring
marine environments, restoring oyster reefs, and protecting it from a wide variety of threats.
According to the article, Waters & Rivers, The Coastal Conservation League of South
Carolina protects coastal waters and fisheries from an assortment of threats. South Carolina
ranks fourth nationally in acreage of salt marsh it has. The people of South Carolina are stepping
up to help conserve its coast. Despite one third of South Carolinas shellfish beds being closed to
harvesting and other threats, The Coastal Conservation League of South Carolina has triumphed
in protecting these great resources. In the article, Waters & Rivers, Industries and sewer
authorities discharge hundreds of millions of gallons of pollutants into Lowcountry waterways.
Georgetown County is home to some of the most important coastal habitats in South Carolina,

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but the population is expected to grow by about 30% in the next ten years. People will need to
put in more effort to conserve the coast due to higher population which in turn produces more
pollution. Without the extra effort from the residents of the area, the population growth could
hurt coastal ecosystems.
In South Carolina Our fortunes always have been linked to our waters, Marine
Conservation. The Nature Conservancys South Carolina Marine Program was launched in
2005. The reason the Conservancy cares because the states rivers, coastal estuaries, and ocean
waters provide means of transportation, recreation, commerce, and nourishment, Marine
Conservation. The conservancy focuses mainly on restoring oyster reefs along the coast.
Contributing factors to the depletion of the coast are rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and loss in
oyster populations. Oyster beds are like the coral reefs of warm estuaries, acting as homes for
over one hundred and thirty other species of animals. The oyster population along South
Carolinas coast has dramatically dropped in the past one hundred years. Despite the great
decline in oyster population, tropical coral reefs attract more conservational attention. The
Nature Conservancys goal is increasing oyster reef homes in Cape Romain. Recycling oyster
shells is the easiest way to help conserve the coast because they are the best material for reef
building.
One of South Carolinas Department of Natural Resources jobs is to protect wildlife.
The Marine Resources division of The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is
responsible for the management and conservation of the states marine and estuarine resources.
According to SCDNR, fishery managers open and close marine fishing seasons, recommend
size and catch limits for fish, track trends in abundance of marine species and review coastal
development activities, Marine Resources Division - Fact Sheet, to do their part in

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conservation. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission work with The Marine Resources Division to ensure that marine fisheries
are effectively managed throughout the coast. The vision of the Marine Resources Division is
better decisions, better marine resources, better access to those resources, and enhanced quality
of life, Marine Resources Division - Fact Sheet. Abiotic and biotic factors statuses are being
monitored thoroughly by The Marine Resources Research Institute.
South Carolinas coast provides numerous jobs and food resources. The protection of this
coast is greatly significant for life of locals. Keeping the coast preserved and marine animals
alive is the sole purpose of South Carolinas Department of Natural Resources. The department
of natural resources has the perception to do greater and bigger things regarding keeping the
coast protected and cared for. The states waterways provide transportation, food, recreation, and
commerce. Due to the drastic decrease in oyster population, South Carolina is trying to find the
best ways possible to keep the environment safe.

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Works Cited

"Coastal Conservation League." Coastal Conservation League. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
"Marine Resources Division - Fact Sheet." SCDNR. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2014.
"Saving South Carolina's Coast | The Nature Conservancy." Saving South Carolina's Coast | The
Nature Conservancy. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.