A powerful ally in the fight against climate change

Why oysters?

Oysters are native to Massachusetts and naturally provide essential services to their environment that promote a cleaner and more resilient coastline. Despite these benefits, oyster populations have decreased by 85% world wide - in Massachusetts, there are only a few natural reefs left. We’re looking to change that.

A crucial species for our coastline

Oysters provide numerous benefits for the natural environment and are crucial to a more resilient Massachusetts coast line in the face of climate change.

  • A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, removing harmful pollutants in the process. For instance, excess nitrogen from fertilizer run off and sewage contributes to ocean acidification and harmful algal blooms. Oysters will filter nitrogen to balance the pH of the water surrounding an oyster reef.

  • Oysters naturally grow in clusters to form reefs. These reefs can act as buffer for storm surges, dissipating wave energy and mitigating coastal erosion.

  • Oyster reefs provide safe habitats for other marine life. A single oyster reef can support as many as 200 additional species, including other shellfish, larger fish and coastal fauna such as eel grass.

Oysters used to line the Atlantic coast line of North America. Overfishing, water pollution and habitat loss have all contributed to their decline.

Because oysters are such an important regulator of their surrounding habitat, the loss of oysters can have a compounding effect. With less oysters to filter water and support other marine life, the habitat degrades, making it even less hospitable. Fortunately, the opposite can be true as well. Studies have found that restored oyster reefs see a rapid increase in biodiversity in as little as two years.

Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries and biodiversity committments

The state of Massachusetts recognizes the vital role that oysters play in our coastal ecosystem and has recently committed to expanding its coastal habitat restoration program. This includes a recent commitment in partnership with the The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to identify sites suitable for oyster habitat restoration. This is an exciting step forward in our mission and we’re looking forward to being a partner in this crucial work over the next several years.