Millions of tourists flock to the Grand Strand to enjoy golf, the beach and plenty of seafood.

Oysters are often a delicacy enjoyed by tourists and locals alike in and around the tourist hubs of Horry and Georgetown counties. But the area consumes more oysters than it recycles the shells, which leads the S.C. Department of Natural Resources annually to reach from other areas to build reefs essential for their reproduction.

State officials like Ben Dyar, coordinator of the DNR’s oyster recycling program, are surprised the area is not self-sufficient with its oyster consumption versus the area’s effort to recycle the shells.