Oysters in the Gulf have seen better days, but a plan is in place for restoration.

(National Wildlife Federation)

At a Glance

An estimated 85 perfect of the Gulf of Mexico's oyster population has been lost.The Nature Conservancy, an environmental organization, has a plan to help restoration.They plan to build two artificial reefs beginning this winter.

Oysters in the Gulf of Mexico have seen better days.

Aside from the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in 2010 — , according to NOAA — changes in freshwater flow along the Gulf and sedimentation caused by more frequent storms have taken their toll on the Gulf's oyster population.

Butall hope is not lost. In fact, , according to a report byenvironmental organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

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Compared to historic levels, an estimated 85 percent of the Gulf's oyster population has been lost, and the impact ranges further than the$100-million-per-year market they provide.

Oyster beds in the Gulf are vital in improving water quality, providing protection from shoreline erosion and serving as a habitat for fish and wildlife.

The impact of waves, boat wakes and storm surge on the Gulf's shoreline is reduced by oyster reefs. Reefs are also unique in that they can continue to grow to , according to an entry in the journal Nature, something hard sea walls can't do.

Aside from the $100 million per year market they provide, Gulf oysters serve as a habitat for marine wildlife and a protector against shoreline erosion.

(Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Additionally, a single oyster can filter 50 gallons of water in one day. In places like Galveston Bay, a 130-acrereef containing 10 oysters per square meter would be . In comparison, Houston's 39 wastewater treatment plants combined to filter 252 million gallons per day in 2009, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.

TNC plans to build two artificial oyster reefs – a 50-acre bed in Galveston Bay and one spanning 60-acres in Copano Bay. Both will designate half of the reef to serve as a marine sanctuary, while the other half will be open for harvest and commercial fishing.

The plan will cost an estimated $5 million of the $160 million settlement BP paid to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas for oyster restoration following the Deepwater Horizon disaster that crippled the Gulf, the nation's leading body of water in commercial oyster production.

"Such integrated plans and projects would be unique and would put the Gulf of Mexico at the forefront of oyster resource recovery worldwide," the report stated.

According to the plans, the oysters will be seeded this winter and allowed to grow untouched and undisturbed until 2021.