PBS stations to show documentary on decline of Florida’s oyster reefs

Oyster harvests in the Gulf have been declining for decades. (Image via Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS)

An award-winning documentary digging into the devastation of Florida’s oyster reefs will begin airing this month on PBS stations across the state.

“Unfiltered: The Truth About Oysters” will be broadcast on Jan. 15. The film has already earned 11 awards at various film festivals across the globe, including multiple “Best Documentary” honors and a Suncoast Regional EMMY Award.

“The film tells a critical, locally rooted story that affects all Floridians, and resonates with global audiences as we face the mounting challenges of climate change,” reads a release spotlighting the film.

“Produced by Tallahassee filmmakers Chucha Barber and directed by Josh McLawhorn, Unfiltered represents a collaboration of passionate stakeholders dedicated to illuminating environmental issues, including Coastal Conservation Association Florida, Capital City Bank, The Guy Harvey Foundation, Tallahassee State College, Bill and Nolia Brandt, Lisa Miller & Associates, and Rebecca Hart.”

In 2020, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to close the Apalachicola oyster beds completely. The region had already been struggling for years with a collapse in the oyster population. The state has since worked to rehabilitate the oyster ecosystem, and could decide this year on reopening the region.

McLawhorn said he directed the film to spotlight the issue and the work to solve it.

“Oysters are more than a food; they are the silent protectors of our water, and a keystone species that holds the entire coastal ecosystem together,” McLawhorn said. “This film reveals the alarming truth about oysters’ decline and showcases the extraordinary efforts underway to restore these indispensable ecosystems.”

Oyster reefs across the globe have also been suffering, with studies showing at least 85% of them vanishing completely.

“The conditions that led to the catastrophic decline of Florida’s oyster beds are complex, but one thing is simple — the critical role oysters play in protecting the ecosystems that sustain us,” Barber said. “This important movie provides a blueprint for restoring Florida’s coasts.”

Here is a list of when local PBS stations will show the film:

— WFSU in Tallahassee and Panama City: Jan. 15, 8 p.m.

— WGCU in Ft. Myers/Naples: Jan. 15, 9 p.m.

— WUFT in Gainesville: Jan. 15, 9 p.m.

— WUCF in Orlando: Jan. 15, 9 p.m.

— WEDU in Tampa/St. Pete: Jan. 16, 3 p.m.

— WSRE in Pensacola: Jan. 17, 3 p.m.

— JAXPBS in Jacksonville: Jan. 19, 11 a.m.

— West Palm Beach: Jan. 19, 10 p.m.

— WEDQ in Tampa: Jan. 20, 5 a.m., 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.