A research project carried out by The Oyster Restoration Company (TORC) and supported by RWE has established that large-scale native oyster reef restoration at offshore wind farms in the North Sea is feasible.
“Flat oysters are an important species because they can create reefs that provide food and breeding grounds for many other species. Due to the harmful impacts of factors such as overfishing, pollution, and parasites, only 5% of the pre-industrial population remains across the North Sea” , RWE said in a press release on 21 July.
Throughout the six-month feasibility study, RWE and TORC developed a series of technical assessments, evaluations and solutions from engineering and deployment to verification frameworks.
Laboratory tests, carried out at TORC’s hatchery in Scotland, evaluated different natural and artificial hard substrates, such as shells or bricks, to decide which could be deployed to maximise the creation of new reefs.
“The question is no longer if we can restore oysters at scale offshore” , said Nik Sachlikidis , CEO of The Oyster Restoration Company. “Together with RWE, we’ve combined hatchery capacity, engineering know-how, and science to deliver a pathway for measurable biodiversity gain. Practically, affordably, and now.”
According to RWE, the learnings from this project are expected to support the ambitions of offshore wind companies to contribute to the restoration of important marine habitats across wide areas of the North Sea in the UK and Europe.
“By acting early, RWE is stepping up its capability and readiness to help benefit marine biodiversity in and around its offshore wind projects. We have a firm responsibility to not just mitigate but also to enhance the environments in which we build and operate” , said Thomas Michel , RWE COO Offshore Wind.
“Through this promising initiative with The Oyster Restoration Company, we have established a verifiable tool that demonstrates tangible results and supports the credibility of RWE’s net positive ambitions on biodiversity.”