April 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 37

Marine debris can come in many forms, but one of the most
prevalent in the marine environment is post-consumer waste.
ulation due to overharvesting in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Oyster reefs are a key environmental
feature for young fish; the natural
crevices and caves that form as
the reef grows provide cover from
larger predators during their vulnerable
early stages of development.
The absence of oyster reefs led to
accelerated coastal erosion and a
reduction in commercial fishing opportunities
across the state.
In collaboration with John Carroll,
Ph.D., of Georgia Southern
University, Yamaha Rightwaters
supports an oyster reef restoration
project on the shores of St. Catherines
Sound in coastal Georgia.
Beyond preventing erosion, serving
as habitat and bringing back a key
part of Georgia's fisheries, Carroll
is investigating another potential
benefit of coastal oyster reefs: carbon
sequestration.
In the Gulf of Mexico, Yamaha
Rightwaters supported a joint effort
between the Coastal Conservation
Association and Texas A&M
Harte Institute in St. Charles Bay
that also investigated the potential
of oyster reefs to sequester carbon
dioxide. The growth and establishment
of oysters is different in the
Gulf of Mexico compared to other
places, usually experiencing much
smaller variations than its coastal
counterparts. By investigating abilities
of oysters in varying habitats,
Yamaha Rightwaters is working to
understand how large-scale restoration
efforts might be optimized
across varying environments.
As oyster reefs grow and mature,
they trap sediment that contains
captured carbon in the form of
vegetation behind the expanding
shoreline. The Center for Coastal
Conservation/Harte Institute study
seeks to prove that these carbon deposits
remain trapped behind the
reefs and do not have the opportunity
to be broken down and released
back into the atmosphere. If this
study is successful, it could open up
opportunities all along the coast for
investment into carbon capture that
also brings back thousands of miles
of oyster reefs and the environmental
benefits like prevention of soil
erosion that they provide.
Further out to sea, Yamaha Rightwaters
supports OCEARCH, a
nonprofit dedicated to researching
the ocean's most misunderstood
predators, sharks. That research
comes in many forms, from taking
blood and stomach samples to fitting
the sharks with tracking tags,
allowing the researchers to monitor
the shark's movements across the
globe. Yamaha Rightwaters supports
OCEARCH by powering the
research vessels that pursue these
mysterious keystone species of the
ocean. In recognition of this support,
in 2023, Yamaha Rightwaters was
honored to name a shark that was
tagged during a research outing off
the coast of the Southeastern United
States. Yamaha Rightwaters selected
the name " Umi, " which translates to
" sea " or " ocean " in Japanese.
What Comes Next?
Moving forward, Yamaha Rightwaters
continues its mission to protect
and improve the environment and
natural resources that make outdoor
recreation possible. To accomplish
this goal, Yamaha Rightwaters will
strengthen
existing
partnerships
and empower new ones specifically
focused on carbon sequestration.
Yamaha also maintains a commitment
to minimize the impact that
the company has in its products and
manufacturing practices, including a
commitment to achieve carbon neutrality
in its manufacturing facilities
by 2035 and its products by 2050.
This work honors the four pillars of
its mission and supports Yamaha's
three-part,
strategic
approach
to
creating and maintaining sustainable
marine environments: natural
resources conservation, sustainable
recreational fishing and protection
of water resources.
Joshua Grier is the Sustainability Program Manager at
Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit (joshua_grier@yamahamotor.com).
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37
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEEP THE TENNESSEE RIVER BEAUTIFUL
April 2024 – Parks & Recreation

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