As several efforts are made in Ireland to restore native oyster reefs, a new report finds where large-scale restoration could be most feasible and beneficial in England. The findings echo initiatives in Dún Laoghaire Harbour and elsewhere in Dublin Bay.
Native oyster reefs have suffered dramatic declines over the last two centuries.
As Afloat has reported, the volunteer-led Green Ocean marine charity has been working on restoration projects in Dublin Bay marinas, and recently opened an oyster trail on Dún Laoghaire’s East Marina Breakwater.
Oyster reefs can play a vital role in marine nature recovery, boosting biodiversity, improving water quality and helping to create healthier, more resilient coasts, according to a report commissioned by England’s Environment Agency through the Restoring Meadows, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) initiative.
It involved collaboration between the University of Portsmouth, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), founding partners of the Native Oyster Network UK and Ireland, the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.
Professor Joanne Preston examining marine research tanks at the University of Portsmouth
The report assesses 109 English water bodies where native oysters have been recorded historically or are present today.
It identifies 49 water bodies as potentially suitable for oyster reef restoration, with 38 progressing to ecosystem-scale prioritisation, and highlights 16 as highest priorities.
The findings are intended to support the British Government’s Environment Improvement Plan commitment to restore functional oyster reefs in five to eight suitable English water bodies.
Professor Joanne Preston, Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Marine Sciences and co-founder of the Native Oyster Network UK & Ireland, said:
“We have reached an important turning point in native oyster restoration in England. For the first time, we have a national, evidence-based assessment of where we should focus our efforts to bring these lost ecosystems back at a meaningful scale.
“Research at the University of Portsmouth has helped establish the evidence for a more ambitious approach to oyster restoration and informed the development of the Government’s target. This latest report takes us a step further by identifying where that ambition could become reality. We now have an opportunity to move from restoring individual oyster populations to rebuilding connected reef habitats that can support healthier, more resilient marine ecosystems.”
The report represents the first stage of a wider site-selection process, the researchers state.
They say further work will be needed to identify suitable locations within each priority water body, assess local conditions, determine licensing requirements and engage stakeholders before restoration projects can proceed. The researchers also highlight the need to account for climate change and other environmental pressures in future planning.
The full report, Waterbody prioritisation for native oyster (Ostrea edulis) restoration in England, is available from the Environment Agency.
