On May 7, 2025, the team members of the NJDEP Fish and Wildlife Shell Recycling Program were honored at the 2025 State Employee Recognition Day award ceremony, held at the War Memorial in Trenton as part of Public Service Recognition Week.

The Bureau of Marine Habitat and Shellfisheries was selected as a recipient of the Governor’s Team of Excellence award. The Bureau was recognized for its Shell Recycling Program, launched in 2019, which planted 240 tons of shells in 2024 alone, providing the opportunity for nearly 24 million baby oysters to enhance oyster reefs in the Mullica River. The Shell Recycling Program collects discarded shells from partnering restaurants in Atlantic and Cape May Counties, cures them for a minimum of six months, and then plants the shells on local oyster reefs, keeping shells out of landfills and providing the substrate oyster reefs need to succeed.

With the recent acquisition of grant funding through NOAA’s Coastal Zone Management Program, the program continues to expand by partnering with new restaurants and installing public shell drop-off locations, thereby increasing the number of shells collected and recycled. Additionally, in partnership with the American Littoral Society, staff has developed an educational program focused on educating students on complex topics such as oyster reef dynamics and conservation. The program, named Project S.H.E.L.L. (Strengthening Habitats through Environmental Learning and Leadership), educates students through hands-on experiences, working to foster environmental stewardship within future generations.