Tuesday, March 18th – 8:45 a.m.
Join the Open Land Trust to tour the Waddell Mariculture Center in Bluffton! We will tour the hatchery with a biologist, and (weather & time permitting) we will also visit some of the surrounding areas of Victoria Bluff. We will be accompanied by OLT Board Member Al Stokes who spent more than 40 years at WMC developing spawning and production techniques for several commercial and recreationally important finfish and marine shrimp species.
The Waddell Mariculture Center is a facility focused on marine research and the cultivation of shellfish, particularly oysters and clams. It is part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and plays an important role in supporting the state’s coastal ecosystems and fisheries. It is located at Victoria Bluff, a 1200 acre property on the Colleton River that is part of the SC Heritage Trust Program managed by SCDNR.
We will meet at 8:45 a.m. for introductory briefing then a tour at 9:00 a.m. Closed toed shoes are required (no crocs) – sneakers are best as they are slip resistant. The floors inside the facility will be wet and can be slippery. Please bring bug spray and sunscreen.
Approximately 1 hour drive from Beaufort.
Space is limited.