Tropical Storm and Hurricane Preparedness for Off-bottom Oyster Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico: Workboats Guide

The cover page of an informational guide about workboat storm preparedness for oyster aquaculture.

The top header features a dark gray banner with the stylized title “Oyster AQUACULTURE” accompanied by a small graphic of an oyster shell. Below the banner, the main title reads: “Tropical Storm and Hurricane Preparedness for Off-bottom Oyster Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico” followed by the blue subtitle “Workboats Guide”.

The center of the page features a prominent wide photograph showing a small motorized aluminum workboat floating near a simple wooden dock structures out on calm coastal water.

The content is structured into three main areas:
– The narrow left column lists the authors (Rusty Grice, Leslie Sturmer, Bill Walton, Erik Lovestrand, Natalie Simon, Brian Callam) and outlines other fact sheets in the series, including guides for Adjustable Long-Line Farms, Floating Bag Farms, Floating Cage Farms, Land-based Operations, and Workboats. The bottom of the column displays Sea Grant and NOAA logos.
– The upper paragraph section explains that boats are one of the most valuable assets belonging to an oyster grower, and protective measures should be taken before, during, and after a storm event. It outlines that following these guidelines helps prevent boat damage to other properties.
– A section heading at the bottom reads “PRIOR TO HURRICANE SEASON,” which includes introductory text about developing an action plan to trailering or securing boats at a marina, dry storage, or mooring. A checklist alongside the text includes three visible bulleted points marked by square icons, advising on maintaining an inventory list of equipment, taking time-stamped photographs or videos, and consolidating documents.