Balancing Durability and Sustainability: Field Performance of Plastic and Biodegradable Materials in Eastern Oyster Breakwater Reef Restoration

With the historical and consistent population declines of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), restoration projects commonly deploy plastic bags (polyethylene) filled with recycled oyster cultch. Oyster cultch bags are utilized as material to stabilize sediment and provide a substrate for oyster larval recruitment, which provides a habitat for associated organisms and decreases marsh erosion. In addition to the plastic mesh bags utilized to contain oyster cultch, this study also utilized three different biodegradable oyster bag material types (biopolymer, basalt, and cellulose) to determine (1) the influence of bag type on oyster population dynamics, (2) bag durability over time (<1 year), and (3) the cost–benefits for each bag type, calculated via a Weighted Product Model (WPM), within a subsection of the West Galveston Bay Estuary, Texas. For bag type, the results suggested that plastic bags were the most resilient, followed by biopolymer, basalt, and cellulose bags. Plastic bags supported the highest oyster abundance and growth, demonstrating their effectiveness for establishing breakwater reefs. The WPM analysis indicated that plastic bags are inexpensive to deploy and, due to their longevity, are easily monitored over time. However, degradation of plastic bags may introduce microplastics into the environment, posing ingestion risks for bivalves. Whereas the nature-based solutions degraded quickly, inhibiting continuous monitoring, yet the loose cultch may facilitate the natural formation of reefs over time. The results highlight tradeoffs between maximizing oyster recruitment and growth, minimizing environmental contamination, and balancing ecological performance with material sustainability in oyster reef restoration practices.