The United Kingdom launches new tool to jumpstart native oyster reef restoration

Data from the Environment Agency shows that native oyster populations have decreased by 95 percent in England since the mid-1800s, mainly due to over-fishing. The aim is to reverse this decline because oyster reefs bring multiple benefits, including cleansing seawater through filtration and increasing biodiversity and fish abundance. Developed by academics from the University of Exeter and the University of Edinburgh for the agency, the new map data layer is on the ArcGIS (geographical information service) site and provides information on the location of historic native oyster records and distributions. It will also sit on the Coastal Data Explorer, which is a public web mapping portal managed by the Catchment Based Approach initiative. It can act as a tool to support local authorities, community partnerships and environmental organisations to make the case for native oyster restoration projects, one of the three estuarine and coastal habitats that are the focus of the Restoring ...