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Oyster beds filter the water column, removing nitrogen, sequestering carbon and providing habitats for hundreds of species. But these critical services are being lost from the environment on a global scale.
Around the world, an estimated 85 per cent of oyster beds and oyster reef habitats have vanished, making them among the most imperilled of all marine habitats. In response, Blue Marine is creating a model for restoration of this key habitat by relaying millions of oysters into the Solent, the strait that separates the Isle of Wight from the south coast of England.
To increase the number of breeding oysters in the area, Blue Marine’s team has placed mature ‘brood stock’ oysters at high densities in cages hung in the water beneath pontoons, facilitating the release of millions of larvae into the Solent. The cages have proved to provide a refuge for other marine life, and to date, we have found 97 different species living in them, including critically endangered European eels, juvenile spiny seahorses, and sea bass.
To promote natural recruitment and re-establish wild oyster beds, Blue Marine’s Solent team is also re-seeding protected seabed sites with juvenile oysters. We aim to create these sanctuary sites on a large scale in areas closed to commercial fishing, allowing them to flourish and develop.
We have also worked with the University of Portsmouth and Wild Oysters Project to develop a guide to nurseries for the native flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), whose aim is to enable marina companies, pontoon or jetty owners, and other restoration projects to establish their own nursery system for oyster restoration.
The guide covers the for restoration, the application of nurseries, logistical considerations, the need for biosecurity protocols, and how to monitor them. With help from MDL Marinas, we have refined the system over several years, and streamlined the paperwork required to make an application, while ensuring that applicants still understand the processes involved.
The guide and templates needed for an application – with examples in some cases – are set out with the legislative requirements for the UK & Ireland, but they can be adapted for use in other countries.
For further details please see: Solent Oyster Restoration Project Overview
Guide to Oyster Nurseries UK & Ireland
Setting up new site overview appendix
AW1 Blank form to be completed
105,000 native oysters restored to the Solent
12 oyster restoration sites
200 volunteers have worked on the project
97 marine species found living in the oyster cages
Chief Officer Southern IFCA
“The partnership forged by Blue Marine, which we are delighted to be part of, builds on their extensive experience; the collaborative restoration plan ensures the local community, fishermen, scientists and conservation groups can work together to achieve a shared goal and rebuild the once-thriving Solent oyster beds.”
Commercial Director of MDL Marinas
“Helping to restore the native oyster population, an important part of the local ecosystem which removes pollutants and provides habitats, is one of many ways that the boating community can give back to the ocean and improve the local waters around us for our future enjoyment.”
