FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Coraline's and The Nature Conservancy Celebrate ‘Save Our Shells’ Oyster Recycling Program at Beau Rivage Shuckers Night June 21
Biloxi Shuckers become the newest venue to join TNC’s oyster recycling program
BILOXI, Miss. (June 19, 2025) - Beau Rivage’s flagship seafood fine dining restaurant Coraline’s will celebrate its first anniversary and successful partnership with The Nature Conservancy’s oyster recycling program, Save Our Shells, during the Beau Rivage Shuckers Night at Keesler Federal Park on Saturday, June 21. Beau Rivage is sponsoring the night with a King Cakes Blanket Giveaway for the first 1,500 fans.
MGM Resorts International and Beau Rivage are proud supporters of TNC’s oyster recycling program and have donated more than 70,000 pounds of shell since the program launched. Coraline’s and sister restaurant BR Prime have been recycling an average of 2,700 lbs. of oyster shells per month to support restoration efforts.
“As we celebrate Coraline’s first anniversary and the successful launch of TNC’s Save Our Shells, we look forward to seeing the Coast’s oyster population return through our participation in this program,” said Beau Rivage Executive Chef Kristian Wade. “From MGM Resorts' initial donation and Beau Rivage’s ongoing contributions, we know this partnership will be transformative, not only for restoring coastal fisheries and reducing erosion, but improving local habitats and water quality.”.
In January 2022, MGM Resorts Las Vegas properties donated 45,000 lbs. of oyster shells to The Nature Conservancy in Mississippi to help start oyster restoration projects in the Gulf. MGM Resorts, as a whole, has recycled more than 200,000 lbs. of shells nationwide since 2017, helping regenerate more than 28 million oysters. Properties across MGM Resorts shuck an average of 32,000 oysters each day, or 1.2 million per year, and the company will put more oysters back into the water than are sourced.
Since its launch, The Nature Conservancy has recycled more than 200,000 lbs. of oyster shells from 13 participating restaurants along the Mississippi Coast.
“By recycling oyster shells, you can literally make eating an oyster an act of conservation,” Tom Mohrman, Director of Mississippi Marine Programs, The Nature Conservancy explains. “Recycled shells are put back into the Mississippi Sound, where they can be used to enhance oyster resources in a variety of ways. Without the participation of restaurants, this material would end up in a landfill, but now we can put these discarded shells toward supporting marine habitat that is vital to our local economy and local habitat.”
As the Save Our Shells Program expands, the Biloxi Shuckers are the newest venue to enroll in this program. "We’re thrilled to partner with The Nature Conservancy on the Save Our Shells program,” said Biloxi shuckers General Manager Hunter Reed. “As the Biloxi Shuckers, oysters are a part of our identity, so this initiative is a perfect fit. Helping to restore oyster reefs along our coast isn’t just good for the environment, it’s a meaningful way for us to give back to the community that supports us.”
Saturday, June 21 game time is 6:05 p.m. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. The Biloxi King Cakes return with a King Cakes Blanket Giveaway for the first 1,500 fans presented by Beau Rivage. The Shuckers will transform into the King Cakes with specialty hats and jerseys and take on the Knoxville Smokies. Tickets available at BiloxiShuckers.com.
ABOUT Save Our Shells
In 2023, The Nature Conservancy launched a pilot oyster shell recycling program in Mississippi. Save Our Shells, or SOS, highlights the impact that collecting oyster shells from local restaurants can have on restoring oyster reef habitat and a once-thriving industry along the Gulf Coast. Save Our Shells is paid for by an award from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality in partnership with the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration (RESTORE) Council.
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