Doc Ford’s St. Pete restaurants donate over 14,000 pounds of oyster shells for Tampa Bay shoreline restoration

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2026) – Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille’s two St. Petersburg restaurants collectively recycled 14,267 pounds of discarded oyster shells in 2025, helping Tampa Bay Watch build new oyster reefs and living shorelines throughout the Tampa Bay Estuary. The shells were collected at the Jungle Terrace and St. Petersburg Pier locations for the nonprofit organization’s Shells for Shorelines program.

“Last year was our first full year participating in the initiative and we’re thrilled with the results,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, the parent company of Doc Ford’s. “By donating and diverting shells from the landfill, we’re helping Tampa Bay Watch’s important conservation efforts.”

The restaurants serve fresh shucked-to-order Gulf oysters on the half shell and Yucatán baked oysters marinated in signature sauce and baked with creamy Manchego cheese topping. Both preparation are longtime menu favorites and reflect Doc Ford’s Caribbean Rim-inspired approach to seafood. Doc Ford’s began partnering with Tampa Bay Watch in the summer of 2024 and recycled nearly 4,600 pounds during the inaugural year. Shells for Shorelines provides free recycling collection at local restaurants and cures the shells before placement. Demonstrating the power of community and environmental stewardship in action, the innovative coastal restoration initiative transforms discarded oyster shells into shell bags for vertical oyster gardens. It has collected 322,434 pounds of shells since the program’s inception in 2022.

“Tampa Bay Watch has been pleased to partner with Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille to recycle oyster shells for restoration efforts taking place throughout Tampa Bay,” said Reagan Fennessy, the organization’s oyster shell recycling program coordinator. “Tampa Bay Watch has truly enjoyed the partnership.”

Dedicated to fostering a healthy Tampa Bay watershed, Tampa Bay Watch achieves its mission through community-driven restoration projects, education programs and outreach. For more information visit tampabaywatch.org.

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and HM Restaurant Group have supported important environmental and community initiatives in Southwest Florida and the St. Petersburg area since the restaurant’s founding on Sanibel Island in 2003. The annual “Ding” Darling & Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament has raised over $1.57 million for conservation and water-quality research at the island’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The 14th annual tournament is May 15, 2026. Doc Ford’s also donates $1 from cocktail sales in its Send It South drink program in Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach to Captains For Clean Water.

HM Restaurant Group, Doc Ford’s and its employees contribute to a variety of important causes year-round in the St. Petersburg area, raising money, awareness and donating their time at local nonprofit organizations, including Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Community Action Stops Abuse, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Tampa Bay and the Ronald McDonald House on the campus of John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.

Renowned for its legendary guest experience, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

With four locations, the award-winning restaurant offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim. Beloved for its sauces, spices and popular Yucatan shrimp served daily, it’s highly regarded by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant. Doc Ford’s is a perennial TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. The St. Petersburg Pier restaurant was named the nation’s No. 1 restaurant for Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023.

Contact:
Jennifer Hamilton, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and Public Relations, 239-275-5758,
[email protected]