ENVIRONMENT & CULTURE
FlAT oysTers Are puT InsIde The oysTer TABles’ BAskeTs.
Photo courtesy of De Rijke Noordzee.
Oysters placed around base of offshore wind turbines A total of 2,400 flat oysters were recently placed around the foundations of Borssele III & IV windfarm’s wind turbines, located 55km off the Vlissingen coast. The trial will investigate whether oysters can permanently establish themselves on the windfarm and if this attracts new nature.
Photo courtesy of De Rijke Noordzee.
AlThough ZeelAnd hAs A leAdIng role In FArmIng mussels And oysTers, nATIVe oysTer reeFs hAVe VIrTuAlly dIsAppeAred In The neTherlAnds.
The project is a joint initiative of De Rijke Noordzee and windfarm consortium Blauwwind. Oysters have already been released on windfarms in the North Sea, but this is the first time that the foundations around the turbines themselves are used for this purpose. Although Zeeland has a leading role in farming mussels and oysters, native oyster reefs have virtually disappeared in the Netherlands. By releasing the animals, the organisations hope to learn how they can restore the oyster reefs. They expect that when the oyster reefs return, they will attract all kinds of other marine life such as lobsters, crabs, and fish.
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Environment and Culture.indd 54
17-11-20 16:29
