European Native Oyster Restoration Handbook
Organisation: Native Oyster Network – UK & Ireland
Location: UK and Ireland
Type: Technical Support & Training
Link: Visit Website
This European Native Oyster Restoration Handbook aims to provide foundational and practical guidance on the restoration and conservation of native oysters (Ostrea edulis) and native oyster habitat across the UK and Ireland. The guidance outlined throughout the Handbook is also of relevance to projects across the native oyster’s biogeographic range.
To reverse the current trajectory of the European native oyster towards extinction, and restore this once abundant coastal habitat with the many ecosystem services it provides, requires the UK and European community to substantially increase the ambition, scale and number of restoration projects.
Produced by the Native Oyster Network – UK & Ireland in collaboration with the European Native Oyster Restoration Alliance, this handbook aims to be accessible for both small scale, feasibility projects, as well as larger, more established projects, providing access to the knowledge captured within the Networks.
What's included
- An introduction to native oyster restoration, why oysters are important, the threats to oysters and benefits of their restoration (Chapter 1);
- Information about starting a restoration project including choosing a site, project funding, planning and an overview of the permits and licences likely to be required (Chapter 2);
- The techniques that can be implemented to achieve restoration success, from hatcheries to deployment (Chapter 3);
- A focus on biosecurity in native oyster restoration, particularly on reducing risks of disease though translocation (Chapter 4); and
- An outline of how to effectively communicate a restoration project before, during and after changes are made (Chapter 5).
This handbook is one of a quartet of restoration guidelines, along with those developed for saltmarsh, seagrass, and for restoring coastal habitats using dredged sediments.
Partners: Native Oyster Network UK & Ireland, Environment Agency, University of Portsmouth, Zoological Society of London, Blue Marine Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Native Oyster Restoration Alliance.