Oysters get more dome homes

TAMPA - Oysters aren't just good for eating -- they're also helping clean up the waters off Bayshore Boulevard.

A group called Tampa Bay Watch installed more oyster domes in the waters off Bayshore on Wednesday.

Oysters are known for filtering and removing nitrogen from water. Nitrogen is the main food for plankton that gathers on the surface and makes for a pretty unattractive waterway.

There are already 1,500 domes in the bay; now, they're adding another 800.

"Oyster domes are phenomenal in that they provide the structure that oysters attach to and they're one of the few types of habitat that we can put into Bayshore Boulevard and help improve water quality and provide that habitat for fish and wildlife," offered Peter Clark, the director of Tampa Bay Watch.

Tampa Bay Watch is also getting some help from the Bayshore Beautiful Homeowners Association. The group is helping them get permits, manpower, and finding ways to cover the fees involved in the project.