Oysters booming in Firth of Forth
European flat oysters returned to the Firth of Forth as part of a major restoration project are showing signs of loving their new home.European flat oysters returned to the Firth of Forth
Monitoring by the Heriot-Watt scientific dive team, as part of the Restoration Forth project, has shown a high average survival rate of around 88%.
One oyster has grown 2.1cm in one year, which is hugely promising, as in good environmental conditions we would expect growth of 1cm a year.
The survival experiment, using mature European flat oysters sourced from the Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery, has been in place at the restoration site for one year and will be left for a further two years to track how survivability changes over time.
The project has deployed 46,780 oysters since 2023 across four sites in the Firth of Forth.
Dr Naomi Kennon, from Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, said: “The latest results from our monitoring are very exciting.
“It’s a huge boost to everyone who has been involved in the project, from the volunteers cleaning the oysters ahead of deployment, to the team involved in scattering them into the Forth.
“One oyster has grown 2.1cm in one year, which is hugely promising, as in good environmental conditions we would expect growth of 1cm a year.
“Oysters are incredible underwater engineers: they filter water, store carbon and enhance biodiversity by providing shelter for countless marine species.
“We’re a long way off from the millions of oysters that once thrived in these waters, but these results are promising and show the value of restoration work.”
Caitlin Godfrey from Marine Conservation Society said:“We’re thrilled to see such a high survival rate among the oysters in their new home.
“This success is only possible thanks to the incredible support from volunteers, local communities, and partners who share our vision for ocean recovery.
“These oysters aren’t just surviving - they’re thriving, laying the groundwork for a healthier marine ecosystem and a brighter future for our seas.
“It’s an inspiring step forward in restoring hero species that protect and purify our ocean.”
Partners delivering Restoration Forth include Edinburgh Shoreline, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, Heriot-Watt University, Marine Conservation Society, Project Seagrass, Scottish Seabird Centre, The Ecology Centre, The Heart of Newhaven Community and WWF.
The current phase of Restoration Forth is made possible by funding from Sky and the Cinven Foundation; the project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.
Image credit: Dr Naomi Kennon.