An ambitious project aims to recover hundreds of oyster shells to help restore oyster reefs around Hong Kong Bay and elsewhere in the world. — AFP
An ambitious project launched by an NGO called The Nature Conservancy aims to recover hundreds of oyster shells in order to help restore oyster reefs around Hong Kong Bay and elsewhere in the world.
Thanks to its ideal location between the South China Sea and the Pearl River Delta, Hong Kong has long been regarded as something of a hotspot for oyster farming, explains The Guardian, reporting on this initiative. But the habitat of these oysters is in danger, threatened by both water pollution and seabed dredging. That's how the "Save our Shells" initiative, helmed by The Nature Conservancy, came about.
The idea is to recover waste oyster shells, saving them from the trash, then to recycle them to restore reefs that have been destroyed or abandoned.
"Often overlooked as a crucial marine habitat, oysters are also ecosystem engineers that play a tremendous role in coastal protection and support marine ecosystems wherever they thrive," explain the project founders. They go on to say that "a single oyster can filter 200 litres of water a day, cleaning up murky waters to create healthy environments for seagrass, small fish and other species to thrive."
Recycled to recover
Since its launch in 2020, the project has collected and recycled around 80 tonnes of shells. Two pilot oyster reefs in Lau Fau Shan (Deep Bay, north-west Hong Kong) and Tolo Harbour (north-east Hong Kong) have been restored."For the next coming years, we will conduct ongoing monitoring of the reef’s growth and its impact on biodiversity and water quality. These pilots are essential for data collection and restoration method development for future scale-up," the NGO explains. In early 2023, The Nature Conservancy launched a programme to recycle oyster shells at local restaurants in the part of the Gulf of Mexico through which the Mississippi River flows.
Oyster shells are often discarded, but they're full of potential. For example, they can be used to descale toilets and household appliances, or used as fertiliser in the garden. Their calcium-, mineral- and trace-element-rich composition also makes them excellent ingredients for beauty products. – AFP Relaxnews
