Native Oyster Restoration supporters recently joined GreenTheUK and Blue Marine Foundation in an incredible effort to scrub, clean, weigh, and measure 10,000 European flat oysters.

This work is part of the Solent Seascape Project, which aims to restore 4 hectares of Native Oyster Reefs across the Solent. Blue Marine Foundation’s marine biologists are working tirelessly to: create broodstock sanctuaries, increase larval output and recruitment, boost native oyster numbers across the Solent, establish self-sustaining oyster populations and deliver ecosystem services that benefit both people and nature.

A crucial early step in the process is cleaning the oysters before they’re rehomed into the sea. Volunteers helped scrub each oyster, removing worms, barnacles, and other invasive species. We then recorded their weight and measurements to support future monitoring of reef health and oyster growth.

Thank you Antac Support Services, OMGTea and VSBW for joining the volunteering effort, and to all 2025 supporters of the Native Oyster Restoration Project.

Together, we’re helping restore a thriving marine ecosystem.