"The oyster is a biotic engine, filtering the water and creating habitat for hundreds of other species." — Mark Kurlansky, author of The Big Oyster
OYSTER RESTORATION = CLEAN WATER
Oysters are more than a beloved New England tradition—they are powerful ecosystem engineers. A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water each day, removing excess nutrients, sediment and other pollutants. By restoring oyster reefs to salt marshes, coastal ponds and bays, Oyster Strong helps improve water quality while creating habitat for fish, crabs and countless other marine species. These living reefs also stabilize shorelines and strengthen coastal resilience. Through shell collection, reef restoration, community partnerships and hands-on events, we are putting oysters back to work—cleaning our waters, rebuilding coastal ecosystems and helping ensure healthier bays for generations to come.
PHASE I: SHELL COLLECTION
Believe it or not, one of the biggest obstacles to restoring oyster reefs is a shortage of oyster shells. Young oysters—called spat—need a hard, clean surface to attach to and grow, and recycled oyster shells provide the ideal foundation. Yet most shells from harvested oysters are discarded and never returned to the water. In Phase I, Oyster Strong partners with restaurants to collect used shells and transport them to a designated site, where they are carefully stockpiled and cured. By building mountains of reclaimed shells, we are creating the essential foundation for future oyster reefs. Every shell collected becomes a building block for cleaner water, healthier marine habitat and more resilient New England coastlines.
PHASE II: PLANTING OYSTER SEEDS
Baby oysters naturally want to join an existing colony. Using chemoreception—the ability to detect chemical cues in the water—they find other oysters and attach themselves to old shells, beginning the formation of a new reef. During Phase II, our cured shells are placed into bags and moved to the hatchery, where tiny oyster larvae, called spat, settle onto them and begin to grow. Once the young oysters are strong enough, the seeded shells are carefully planted in suitable coastal waters. Over time, they grow together into living oyster reefs that filter pollutants, improve water quality, create habitat for marine life, stabilize shorelines and help restore the natural health of New England’s bays and salt ponds.
