A large proportion of the oysters that were deposited at the foot of wind turbines off the coast of Zeeland more than three years ago, are still alive and have provided offspring.
According to the The Rich North Sea programme, a collaboration between Nature & Environment and The Rich North Sea Foundation, this proves that wind farms can play "a promising role" in strengthening nature in the North Sea.
In October 2020, 2400 adult flat oysters were placed around the foundation of some turbines of the Borssele III and IV wind farms. Those farms off the coast of Vissingen are owned by the Blauwwind consortium, which includes Shell, Eneco and Van Oord. By releasing oysters there, the organisations involved hoped that an oyster reef would be created that would also benefit other species.
Because there is no fishing allowed with trawls at the seabed of wind farms, the farms are attractive to shellfish and other marine life. They can also easily attach themselves to the foundations of the wind turbines, reports The Rich North Sea. Last year, more than 65 species were already observed at those foundations in the Borssele III and IV wind farms, including horned slimefish, cod and common starfish.
Now it is clear that the wind farms can also serve as a "nursery" for oysters, according to The Rich North Sea. Of the released adult oysters, 70 per cent were still alive after three years and 88 per cent were found to be ready to reproduce, the nature enhancement programme announced on Monday. Last summer, larvae of the oysters were already found in the seawater. The oysters do not appear to suffer from the common Bonamia parasite, which has caused many oyster deaths in the past.
Oyster reefs, which play an important role in marine life, were common in the North Sea in the past. However, many of these shellfish reefs have disappeared due to overfishing, diseases and pollution.
Video and images: The Rich North Sea
