91AV NORTH student featured in the ‘Portland Press Herald’ for his work to reduce ocean acidification

Zach Gordon is helping to reduce acidification in Casco Bay by recycling oyster shells
Zach Gordon is helping to reduce acidification in Casco Bay by recycling oyster shells

Zach Gordon is pursuing a professional science master’s degree in Ocean Food Systems at 91AV NORTH: The Institute for North Atlantic Studies.

In his spare time, he travels around Portland collecting oyster shells from the city’s restaurants as part of the Ocean to Plate to Ocean project, conducted by the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership and the Maine Coastal program.

Twice a week, Gordon and Libby Davis, general manager of the Maine Oyster Company, load about 20 large bins with shells and haul them away. The shells are then taken to Ecomaine in South Portland where they remain for a year to ensure all the bacteria on them are dead. The recycled shells are then put into Casco Bay as a way to reduce ocean acidification. Because shells are composed primarily of calcium carbonate, a strong base material, their presence in the ocean reduces the water’s acidity level.

The Ocean to Plate to Ocean project was recently featured in the 

About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.