Oyster Reef Promises Hundreds Of Jobs

Could a new oyster reef bring a thousand jobs to the Gulf Coast? That's what state and local leaders are proposing.

State conservationists say they have found an ideal area for oyster harvesting out in the West end of the Mobile Bay.
Marine resource biologists say drought conditions and high level salt waters are taking a toll on Alabama's shellfish population.

By building an 800 acre oyster bed in the bay, officials say it would save the shellfish and create a thousand jobs.
"Approximately 300 to 400 just to harvest, not counting shuckers not counting processing plants. I think this will be the gold mine of the century,"Said Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright.

The State would use 2.5 million dollars of Katrina money to build the new oyster reef. Conservationists are waiting to hear back from the State Health Department. The State hopes to begin harvesting by October.