Program

All topics on molluscan shellfish welcomed!

We're inviting presentations on any topic related to the restoration or conservation of marine, brackish, or freshwater molluscan shellfish species. It doesn't matter whether your work involves clams, oysters, or any other molluscan shellfish species, we want to hear about it!

Key info on timing

Call for Special Sessions:
Now open; closes 15 APRIL 2024

Call for Abstracts:

**** Submit your abstract here ****

Abstract Submission Deadline:

14 JUNE 2024

Special sessions:

Confirmed special sessions include:

Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida)
- Betsy Peabody, Executive Director, Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Scaling up native oyster restoration in Europe and beyond
- Hein Sas, Sas Consultancy
Application of alternative 3-dimensional structures for Eastern oyster restoration
- Peter Kingsley-Smith, Senior Marine Scientist, Marine Resources Research Institute, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
- Rochelle Seitz, Professor of Community Ecology, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences
Hard clams as tools for ecosystem restoration and industry resilience
- Angela Collins, Assistant Extension Scientist, University of Florida
- Ashley Smyth, Assistant Professor, Biogeochemistry, University of Florida
Shellfish and restoration in a changing world
- Julieta Martinelli, Biologist & Olympia Oyster Program Lead, Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Aquaculture as a tool for restoration
- Boze Hancock, Senior Marine Restoration Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
- Michael Doall, Associate Director for Bivalve Restoration & Aquaculture, Stony Brook University
Tribal or indigenous perspectives and practices in shellfish restoration
- Ryan Crim, Puget Sound Restoration Fund

Species interactions in oyster restoration: predators, parasites and more
- Allison M. Tracy, Assistant Professor, IMET, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Partnering with Department of Defense for restoration and resilience
- Michelle Covi, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant | Coastal Resilience DOD Liaison
Novel approaches (e.g., remote sensing) for monitoring and assessing shellfish restoration efforts
- Loren D. Coen, Research Professor, Florida Atlantic University
- Brandon Puckett NOAA National Ocean Service, Beaufort Laboratory
Shellfish restoration in urban waters
- Pete Malinowski, Executive Director, Billion Oyster Project
- Katie Mosher, Senior Director of Programs, Billion Oyster Project
Shellfish, seaweed, seagrass, and critical coastal habitats: interactions and opportunities
- Gulnihal Ozbay, Delaware State University
- **** SEEKING SESSION CO-CHAIR ****
Standards-Based Restoration
- Bernadette Pogoda, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Germany
- Simon Reeves, NCS Metrics Scientist, The Nature Conservancy

Special sessions in development:

Restoration of the soft shell clam (Mya arenaria)
Landscape-scale shellfish restoration and population connectivity
Shellfish restoration in support of ecosystem services

If you would like to chair or co-chair any of these sessions that are currently in development (or lead a special session on something completely different), please contact Dr. Peter Kingsley-Smith at kingsleysmithp@dnr.sc.gov.

We welcome attendance by and contributions from researchers, Indigenous and other community leaders, natural resources managers, nonprofits, and anyone involved in shellfish restoration or conservation.

We're interested in understanding the different objectives for and outcomes of your projects, whether that's to restore shellfish populations and their ecosystem services, to reinvigorate fisheries, to support responsible shellfish aquaculture practices, or to learn from indigenous communities about cultural practices that support resiliency.

Presentations related to shellfish restoration in a changing climate are also of great interest.

Stay tuned for a complete conference program.