Doc Ford’s St. Petersburg restaurants recycling oyster shells for shoreline restoration

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is returning discarded oyster shells to the sea. The St. Petersburg Pier and Jungle Terrace restaurants have recycled nearly 4,600 collective pounds of shells since partnering with Tampa Bay Watch’s Shells for Shorelines project this summer.

“Shells for Shorelines is an amazing environmental program for restaurants like us who serve a lot of oysters,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, the parent company of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. “We are reducing our burden on local landfills while providing support to Tampa Bay Watch.”

The shoreline restoration initiative showcases the power of community and environmental stewardship for positive change by repurposing the shells for shell bags and vertical oyster gardens throughout the Tampa Bay Estuary. The nonprofit organization provides free recycling collection and cures the shells before placement. Over 227,100 pounds – equivalent to the weight of 55 average-sized cars – have been recycled from area restaurants since Shells for Seashores launched in February 2022.

Doc Ford’s St. Pete Pier and Jungle Terrace locations in St. Petersburg serve a variety of oyster dishes, including fresh-baked Gulf of Mexico oysters with signature Yucatan sauce and oysters on the half shell at the shellfish bar. The two restaurants have recycled over 4,500 pounds of shells since this summer.

Dedicated to fostering a healthy Tampa Bay watershed, the nonprofit Tampa Bay Watch achieves its mission through community-driven restoration projects, education programs and outreach. For more information, visit tampabaywatch.org.