MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Officials with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announce the completion of the Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary.

Representatives from both groups on November 6 toured the project along with contractor Norfolk Dredging Company.

In mid-September Norfolk placed about 660,000 cubic yards of compatible material from the Charleston Harbor Deepening “Post 45” project in creating prime nesting habitat for a variety of migrating seabird species.

“We are delighted to see this project come to completion,” says SCDNR Director Robert Boyles. “It is a testament to what can be done for conservation if we work together and get creative. The restored Crab Bank is a huge win for birds, but also boats, boxes, and business in South Carolina, as this restoration was a result of the deepening of Charleston Harbor.”

The newly restored Crab Bank is located in the Charleston Harbor between the tip of Sullivan’s Island and Patriots Point and SCDNR biologists expect that sea and shorebird species will return to gather on Crab Bank.

“We look forward to the breeding season and once again having a safe place for seabirds and shorebirds to nest in Charleston Harbor,” says SCDNR coastal bird biologist Janet Thibault. “We hope that with the restoration of Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary, everyone will be able to observe and enjoy these species, both now and in the years to come.”