marine food web

Oysters to the Rescue

Oysters to the Rescue

Oyster farming not only provides jobs in rural communities, but oysters themselves provide habitat for marine life and improve environmental quality by filtering water. So, if native oysters were no longer headed to restaurants, could they be purchased and used for restoring coastal habitats? This question led TNC and Pew Charitable Trusts develop the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) initiative to purchase native oysters from shellfish growers to support the industry during this difficult time while also supporting local restoration efforts. The goal was to purchase and transfer 5 million native oysters from farm to tidelands on the East Coast and in Washington State.