10,000 European native oysters have been introduced to a newly built living reef off the coast of Sunderland in bid to restore the threatened species and support Britain\u2019s marine life <\/p>
In a bid to\u00a0restore Britain\u2019s oyster population,\u00a0conservationists from the\u00a0Wild Oysters Project<\/a>\u00a0have introduced 10,000 European native oysters<\/a>\u00a0(Ostrea edulis<\/em>) to a new\u00a0underwater\u00a0reef \u2018the size of a football pitch\u2019\u00a0(7,500sqm) off the coast of\u00a0North East England.<\/p> Native oysters\u00a0were once a widespread along the British coastline, and created an important habitat for other marine species. However, since the 19th century,\u202fhabitat loss, pollution and over-harvesting\u00a0have resulted in a 95% decline in the population.<\/p> Wild Oysters Project Manager, Celine Gamble, said: \u201cNative oyster reefs have disappeared from our British coastline, and with this we have also lost the benefits that they bring, such as providing essential habitat for other marine species.\u202f<\/p> “They\u2018re capable of filtering approximately 200 litres of water a day \u2013 around a bathtub\u2019s worth \u2013 which in turn contributes towards improving our coastal water quality.<\/p> \u201cWe\u2019re determined to bring the species back from the brink of extinction,\u202fwhich will in turn help contribute towards healthier and more resilient\u202fcoastal waters across the UK.\u201d<\/p> Local Wild Oysters Marine Ecology Technical Lead, Ashleigh Tinlin-Mackenzie,\u00a0added: \u201cOysters have\u00a0historically been a part of the local culture – with signs of oysters present through \u2018oyster saloons\u2019 in Tynemouth and oyster specialist fish markets in South Shields in the mid 1800s, as well as Oystershell Hall, once situated on Oystershell Lane in Newcastle city centre\u00a0\u2013\u00a0but this is the first time they\u2019ve been restored to our waters, where they have long been absent, until now.”\u00a0<\/p>Why oysters matter<\/h2>