Oysters and the Apalachicola River

My group went to the Apalachicola Bay to do filming on how oysters and oyster fishermen were impacted by the water wars. The trip involved us interviewing people involved in the oyster business in order to gain insight into the effects the lack of freshwater has caused on the oysters, as well as what this means for the ecosystem as a whole and the local and national economy. For example, we learned that the lack of freshwater means oysters have trouble reproducing or growing as they normally do, and predators such as crabs, fish and conks prey on them in droves rather than being flushed out by the stream of freshwater. Additionally, the oyster farming in the Apalachicola Bay comprised a large majority of Florida’s oysters, so the blow to the growth and survival has been detrimental to the overall sales and consumption of them. To find this information, we talked to Tommy Ward, the current owner of 13 Mile Brand; he informed us of how his business was hurt by the water wars and how the area was negatively affected for years due to dams up north, both ecologically and economically. For this project, Aleks oversaw the production in terms of who to interview and what questions to ask, as well as helping film, collect audio and edit the film; Sammi interviewed the subjects, and helped film a few shots as well as helping edit. I was involved in filming and getting audio, and Alberto helped film some shots.