Oyster Reef Organizations
Introduction
"As much as 85% of all oyster reefs globally have been lost in the last two centuries, making oyster reefs among the most threatened habitats in the world." - Naturally Resilient Communities
Oyster reefs provide habitat and shelter for other species, protect coastlines, and filter dangerous water so that is is safer for humans as well as wildlife. A growing number of organizations and projects around the world are now working to bring back oyster reefs. Search this directory to find a group near you, or to find resources or guides for creating your own group.
Related Pages
Oyster Reef Restoration & Protection
This includes general information about about oysters and the reefs they form, including useful terminology and equipment or methods for attracting, helping oysters with attachment, breeding, and reef building.
You can also find grants, calculators, restoration guides, recordings of underwater sounds (which help spat "decide" to attach to their new homes), and guides for restoration in different geographic regions.
Oyster Reef Projects & Programs
Some of the organizations overlap with the info in this page's directory. Some are specific projects of organizations listed on this page such as restoration projects, breeding facilities, and oyster shell collection/recycling programs. Others on the projects & programs page are programs hosted by groups that might not usually focus specifically on oysters or their reefs, for example citizen groups focused on rewilding, water quality, storm barriers, or carbon sequestration, may have an oyster restoration program as just one of their many activities.
Organizations By Region
We use this guide voted on by the users of r/PlaneteerHandbook to determine which continent/region each country is included in.
Africa
The Gambia
TRY Oyster Women’s Association "brings together 500 female oyster harvesters from 15 villages in the Greater Banjul area. Harvesters are grouped into cooperatives where they exchange sustainable oyster harvesting techniques and receive training in small-scale enterprise development. These cooperatives have ensured access to appropriate equipment and technologies, set higher standards for working and sanitary conditions, and helped to coordinate the processing, packaging and marketing of oysters.
The cooperatives have also mobilized to reforest local mangroves and educate the local population on the benefits of environmentally responsible resource management. One of TRY Association’s biggest accomplishments to date has been its leadership in the development and implementation of the Oyster and Cockle Co-Management Plan for the Tanbi Special Management Area, synonymous with the Tanbi Wetlands National Park." Tumblr, Facebook
Asia
Hong Kong
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Hong Kong "TNC restores oyster reefs in Hong Kong to improve water quality, increase local fish production, and educate the public about the importance of these marine habitats."
Oysters Save Our Seas (Oyster SOS) "The Hong Kong Marine Ecological Association (HKMEA) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to restoring our marine environment to a biologically diverse and sustainable state for all to enjoy.
Oysters Save Our Seas (Oyster SOS) is our flagship project to restore oyster reefs in Hong Kong."
Europe
Native Oyster Restoration Alliance (NORA) "is a European network whose aim is to enhance and restore the native European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis). Network members represent govt. employees, scientists NGOs, oyster growers, and other private groups. NORA was an outgrowth of a workshop on oyster restoration held in Berlin, Germany on Nov. 2017. That meeting was organized by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (or BfN), and the Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz-Centre for Polar and Marine Research (or AWI) and was attended by 65 experts from 10 European countries and the U.S."
The Netherlands
Platte Oester: Dutch Flat Oyster Consortium (POC) "Our mission is to restore flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) beds in the North Sea. The main motive behind this is marine nature restoration."
UK
England
The Oyster Restoration Company "Our mission is to make our seas and oceans more sustainable by creating a huge and reliable supply of oysters. As well as supplying a valuable food source, our efforts will not only restore the native oyster and associated ecosystems through restoration, but also seek to drastically help decarbonisation. We aim to help companies achieve their net zero sustainability goals, a million oysters at a time."
Scotland
Seawilding "based at Loch Craignish, Argyll, is the UK's first community-led native oyster and seagrass restoration project. Our aim is to restore lost biodiversity, sequester carbon, and to create green jobs. We're pioneering low-cost, best-practice marine habitat restoration methodologies and empowering other coastal communities to do the same."
Europe
Native Oyster Restoration Alliance (NORA) "is a European network whose aim is to enhance and restore the native European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis). Network members represent govt. employees, scientists NGOs, oyster growers, and other private groups. NORA was an outgrowth of a workshop on oyster restoration held in Berlin, Germany on Nov. 2017. That meeting was organized by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (or BfN), and the Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz-Centre for Polar and Marine Research (or AWI) and was attended by 65 experts from 10 European countries and the U.S."
OSPAR "is the mechanism by which 15 Governments & the EU cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.
OSPAR started in 1972 with the Oslo Convention against dumping and was broadened to cover land-based sources of marine pollution and the offshore industry by the Paris Convention of 1974. These two conventions were unified, up-dated and extended by the 1992 OSPAR Convention. The new annex on biodiversity and ecosystems was adopted in 1998 to cover non-polluting human activities that can adversely affect the sea.
The fifteen Governments are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
OSPAR is so named because of the original Oslo and Paris Conventions ("OS" for Oslo and "PAR" for Paris)."
The Netherlands
Platte Oester: Dutch Flat Oyster Consortium (POC) "Our mission is to restore flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) beds in the North Sea. The main motive behind this is marine nature restoration."
UK
England
The Oyster Restoration Company "Our mission is to make our seas and oceans more sustainable by creating a huge and reliable supply of oysters. As well as supplying a valuable food source, our efforts will not only restore the native oyster and associated ecosystems through restoration, but also seek to drastically help decarbonisation. We aim to help companies achieve their net zero sustainability goals, a million oysters at a time."
Scotland
Seawilding "based at Loch Craignish, Argyll, is the UK's first community-led native oyster and seagrass restoration project. Our aim is to restore lost biodiversity, sequester carbon, and to create green jobs. We're pioneering low-cost, best-practice marine habitat restoration methodologies and empowering other coastal communities to do the same."
North America
Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative "Along shorelines from British Columbia to Baja California, discerning eyes can find a unique treasure tucked into the nooks and crannies of our nearshore environment. This local gem is the Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida), the only oyster native to North America’s temperate West Coast. Once present in large beds along our coast, populations of this small filtration powerhouse were decimated from overharvest, pollution and habitat degradation. Yet remnants remain. And with a series of boosts from creative, committed researchers, restoration practitioners and shellfish growers, Olympia oyster populations and the critical structural habitat they provide are on the rise."
NEMESIS "Welcome to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center's National Estuarine and Marine Exotic Species Information System (NEMESIS). Here you will find information on marine and estuarine invertebrates and algae introduced to the United States."
USA
The National Parks Service "is working to assess and restore oyster populations in parks."
Shell Recycling Alliance "Oyster shell is the best, most natural material used to rebuild oyster reefs but it’s also in very short supply. To save this ecologically important byproduct, ORP created the Shell Recycling Alliance in 2010 to reclaim shell, free of charge, from restaurants and other seafood businesses. Shell that otherwise would be dumped in landfills is now recycled, cleaned, treated with baby oysters and put back into the waters of the Chesapeake Bay." Click here for a list of Public Shell Drop-Off Locations in Maryland, DC, and Virginia (scroll to the bottom for an interactive map). Click here to learn about shell recycling programs nationwide (click your state for more details).
Restoring Wildlife to New York Harbor
USA's Oyster Farmer Associations
East Coast Shellfish Growers Association "The ECSGA represents over 1500 shellfish farmers from Maine to Florida. These proud stewards of the marine environment produce sustainable farmed shellfish while providing thousands of jobs in rural coastal towns.
The ECSGA informs policy makers and regulators to protect a way of life."Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association "Founded in 1930, the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (PCSGA) represents growers in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii.
PCSGA works on behalf of its members on a broad spectrum of issues, including environmental protection, shellfish safety, regulations, technology and marketing."Oyster South "Oyster South is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that connects communities and provides resources to foster the success of oyster farming in the Southern United States."
Alabama
Alabama Coastal Foundation "has worked to promote a culture where environmental decisions are based on an accurate understanding of the underlying science, the dissemination of factual information, and the engagement of government, industry and citizens to find solutions to our coastal challenges. We bring that vision into reality through our inclusive environmental stewardship approach."
100-1000 Restore Coastal Alabama Partnership "is a collaboration between organizations along the Alabama Gulf Coast who share the goal of building 100 miles of oyster reefs and to cultivate 1,000 acres of marsh grass throughout coastal Alabama."
California
Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative works up and down the West coast to help bring back the Olympia Oyster to Washington, Oregon, and California.
Delaware
Delaware Sea Grant "helps put together ecotourism and resilience investment strategy for Milford, Slaughter Beach"
Florida
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance: Living Shorelines "CBA’s living shoreline initiative comprises oyster reef breakwaters and native shoreline grass plantings. The reefs and shoreline grasses help reduce shoreline erosion, act as a habitat for marine life, filter stormwater run-off, and improve water quality in Choctawhatchee Bay. CBA uses recycled oyster shells, limestone, or similar materials to construct reefs that act as a breakwater to stifle wave energy to slow or stop erosion. ..."
Restore Our Shores "Oysters are considered a keystone species in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and hold a vital role in keeping the ecosystem balanced. From filtering and cleaning water, helping to control harmful algae blooms, protecting shorelines, to supporting growth of coastal marshes, it’s easy to see why Restore Our Shores (ROS) has worked for the last decade on a variety of projects to increase lost oyster populations that improve lagoon health."
Louisiana
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana "Louisiana’s coastal land loss is having dramatic effects on the nation’s energy, navigation and fisheries interests. It’s also devastating the communities of south Louisiana and the families who have called this place home for generations. CRCL works at the state, local and federal levels to ensure that restoring and protecting coastal Louisiana are top priorities for our state and the nation."
Louisiana Artificial Reef Development Council (Artificial Reef Council) was created by the Louisiana Fishing Enhancement Act (LA R.S. 56:639.6) to provide guidance to LDWF on policy and procedural matters concerning the Artificial Reef Program. The Artificial Reef Council is composed of the secretary of LDWF, the dean of the Louisiana State University College of the Coast and Environment, and the executive director of Louisiana Sea Grant, or their designees."
Maryland
Chesapeake Oyster Alliance "is a multi-year effort designed to spark governmental action, public attention, and funding to accelerate ongoing oyster restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay. The ambitious goal of this collaborative effort is to add 10 billion oysters by 2025 in Virginia and Maryland waters."
Friends of St. Clements Bay "is a community of neighbors working to preserve and restore our watersheds in all their glory. We organize clean up days, tree plantings, educational events, school partnerships and a campaign to bring oysters back to Breton Bay."
Magothy River Association "MRA is one of the few organizations in the Chesapeake that runs a comprehensive oyster program that includes an oyster nursery, reef restoration, and a dive program to monitor oyster populations."
Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) "is the nonprofit expert in Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration. We’re restoring the Bay’s native oyster population by building sanctuary reefs, rebuilding public fishery reefs, supporting the aquaculture (oyster farming) industry, recycling oyster shell, and getting the public involved through hands-on volunteering and events. Since our founding in 1994, and with the support of major partners like the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Lab, ORP has planted more than 10 billion oysters on 3,000 acres of reef and recycled more than 260,000 bushels of shell!"
Oyster Reef Recovery Inititative (ORRI)
Philips Wharf Environmental Center "is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that focuses on environmental education. Our mission is to encourage, educate, and engage Chesapeake Bay stewards of all ages through interactive experiences showcasing the Bay’s ecosystem and its inhabitants. Our vision is to enhance and sustain the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystems through our programs and our network.
We do this work using our traveling marine science program, the Fishmobile, in addition to our oyster restoration program, and adult education programs. You can learn more about these programs by clicking on the titles below!"Restore Our Shores "Oysters are considered a keystone species in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and hold a vital role in keeping the ecosystem balanced. From filtering and cleaning water, helping to control harmful algae blooms, protecting shorelines, to supporting growth of coastal marshes, it’s easy to see why Restore Our Shores (ROS) has worked for the last decade on a variety of projects to increase lost oyster populations that improve lagoon health."
Severn River Association "Connect the people who live, work, and play on the Severn River to restore and protect it for all of our communities."
Shore Rivers "The clean water voice for Marylander's Eastern Shore"
West Rhode Riverkeeper, INC. "We work with our community to enforce environmental law, to promote restoration, and to advocate for better environmental policy."
Massachusetts
Martha’s Vineyard Shell Recovery Partnership "Each year the MV Shellfish Group works towards re-establishing oyster populations island-wide. This is done by returning shell to the local waters. Often there is a shortage of available shell on Martha's Vineyard, forcing MVSG to seek and sometimes purchase recycled shell from the mainland. Shell donors (i.e. restaurants/businesses) can look forward to reducing dumpster waste volume and contributing in a positive way to the restoration of oyster beds."
New Jersey
American Littoral Society "Since 1961 we have empowered people to care for the coast through advocacy, conservation, and education. We not only provide a voice for the coast, but also give concerned citizens the knowledge and tools they need to raise their voices with us. When we restore habitat, our objective is not only to restore a dune or rebuild an oyster reef, but also to motivate people to invest “sweat equity” into a piece of the coast, take ownership and become committed stewards. When we educate, we don’t merely provide books, CDs, or handouts. We lead students young and old into the water to get their feet wet and their hands muddy. Sitting at a computer or reading a book, people may develop an interest in the coast; standing knee deep in sea foam with sand between their toes, they will develop a passion for the coast."
New York
Billion Oyster Project "We're restoring oyster reefs to New York Harbor through public education initiatives"
City Island Oyster Reef (CIOR) "a non-profit 501(c)(3) community-based organization, was formed in December 2019 to expand existing oyster reef restoration efforts in New York City by reestablishing oyster populations in the waters that surround City Island in the western end of Long Island Sound."
North Carolina
North Carolina Coastal Federation "We’re taking action to build back North Carolina’s oyster resources."
Swan Island Oyster Sanctuary "It is located in the Pamlico Sound near the mouth of the Neuse River." "The sanctuary serves as a nursery to help repopulate nearby harvestable cultch reefs."
Oregon
Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative works up and down the West coast to help bring back the Olympia Oyster to Washington, Oregon, and California.
Virginia
Chesapeake Oyster Alliance "is a multi-year effort designed to spark governmental action, public attention, and funding to accelerate ongoing oyster restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay. The ambitious goal of this collaborative effort is to add 10 billion oysters by 2025 in Virginia and Maryland waters."
Washington
Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative works up and down the West coast to help bring back the Olympia Oyster to Washington, Oregon, and California.
Oceana
Australia
OZ Fish "is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping the millions of Aussie recreational fishers take control of the health of their rivers, lakes and estuaries and shore up the future of the sport they love."
New Zealand
Revive Our Gulf "Mussel reefs once dominated the Hauraki Gulf. Bringing them back is key to improving its mauri, or life-force. Find out why we want to re-mussel the Gulf."
