Oyster reef restoration in Belfast Lough places native oysters on seabed

About 2,000 adult European oysters and 30,000 juvenile spat were placed on the Belfast Lough seabed in a first-of-its-kind seabed deployment in Northern Ireland, led by Ulster Wildlife with support from Belfast Harbour and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Thousands of European oysters have been placed on the seabed of Belfast Lough as part of an effort to restore native oyster reefs that largely vanished from the area in the early 20th century. Around 2,000 adult oysters and 30,000 juveniles were transported from a nursery in Scotland for the deployment. Ulster Wildlife is leading the project with partners including Belfast Harbour and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and several local nurseries have been set up. The oysters are intended for environmental restoration rather than human consumption. What is known: - Approximately 2,000 adult oysters and 30,000 juvenile spat were placed on the Belfast Lough seabed. - The oysters were measured, placed in biodegradable potato-starch bags, and laid on the seabed to form reefs over time. - Local nurseries have been established at Bangor Marina, Belfast Harbour, Glenarm and Carrickfergus to support the project. - The deployed oysters are not suitable for eating and recreational shellfish gathering in Belfast Lough remains forbidden. - Organisers say oysters act as filter feeders and can support biodiversity, coastal stability and habitat for juvenile fish and invertebrates. - Belfast Lough faces water-quality challenges, the Office for Environmental Protection has launched an investigation, and some infrastructure projects to improve wastewater have been paused due to funding constraints. Summary: The deployment is presented as a pilot restoration effort intended to rebuild a missing habitat and help improve local biodiversity and water quality. Organisers describe the work as a first-of-its-kind seabed deployment in Northern Ireland and say it could serve as a model for further work, but specific follow-up monitoring or expansion plans were not detailed. Undetermined at this time.