How oysters help keep oceans clean
Oysters to the rescue!
Some of the world’s rivers and coasts are heavily polluted from industrial waste and agricultural runoff. But, there may be an unlikely solution: oysters. These underrated marine creatures feed by filtering water through their gills, simultaneously removing harmful pollutants from their surroundings. Now some areas in the U.S. seek to expand the use of oyster colonies to clean polluted waters and help battle climate change.
- A single oyster can filter up to 150 liters of water (about 50 gallons) a day.
- Biodiversity levels increase dramatically around oyster reefs.
- Oysters can be a cheap and faster alternative to costly sewage and waste systems.
Small but powerful, watch this incredible video demonstrating the natural filtration abilities of oysters:
Video by oysterrecovery.org
How it works
Don’t worry; no oysters are harmed in the process! Carbon and nitrogen are essential to the survival of animals and plants — however, too much of it can have a devastating effect on the planet. The oyster naturally filters water to absorb nutrients, which help grow its shell. Simultaneously, harmful pollutants such as excess carbon dioxide, nitrogen from fertilizers, phosphorus, and pharmaceuticals are absorbed, leaving the water more clear and safe to live in for other sea life.
Oysters are a keystone species, meaning their existence is crucial for the ecosystem. Also dubbed “ecosystem engineers,” biodiversity levels increase dramatically around oyster reefs. For example, tiny creatures live in and on the shells, which attracts more marine life and may underpin entire ecosystems.
The importance of oyster conservation projects
The importance of the ingenious shellfish has not gone unnoticed. Around the U.S., an array of oyster operations have been popping up to help clean bodies of water. Leading the way is the Oyster Recovery Project in the Chesapeake Bay. In the 1970s, the Chesapeake Bay was found to contain one of the planet’s first identified marine dead zones, where waters were so depleted of oxygen that they could not support any life.
Since 1998, the foundation and its partners have planted 8 billion oysters over 2,460 acres of oyster habitat in Maryland waters. Subsequently, according to a report by the University of Maryland, the health of the Chesapeake Bay improved by 2015.
And then there’s The Billion Oyster Project. The New York Harbor, for years, has been polluted and depleted of marine life. But this non-profit is working to clean the grimy waters and revive its long-lost ecosystem — one oyster at a time. When their project is complete, it will be able to filter the entire harbor every three days. The aim is to distribute one billion live oysters by 2035.
Besides being a crucial component of the ocean's health, oyster reefs also provide barriers to storms and tides, preventing erosion and flooding in the Harbor.
A natural alternative
Water filtering is a process that costs time and money. Oysters are one natural, cheap, and fast alternative to costly waste and sewage systems.
Of course, many more efforts are needed to restore deprived areas, and oysters should not have the sole burden of cleaning up our messes. However, oyster conservation programs show that nature works and can provide much-needed assistance in the current climate crisis.
