Humber Estuary conservation project to release 500,000 oysters

The once thriving population of oysters in the estuary died out due to overfishing and pollution

More than half a million oysters are to be released into the Humber estuary as part of a £2.5m conservation project.

It is hoped introducing the native shellfish, as well as the planting of seagrass meadows, will help restore plant and fish life and reduce CO2.

The scheme is being run by energy firm Ørsted together with the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts.

Experts say the project will help towards "reversing decades of damage to the ecosystems of the Humber estuary".

Rachael Bice, chief executive for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: "Large-scale restoration of Yorkshire's seas is the only way forward if we are to tackle the twin nature and climate crises.

"Benefitting nature, climate, and people by providing essential habitat, increasing carbon sequestration, and supporting local fisheries, this project sets the standard for marine restoration, and we look forward to it driving further investment in projects across Yorkshire and the UK."

The Humber estuary's conservation status has recently been downgraded

Since the early 1900s about 95% of native oyster reefs have disappeared from the Humber.

The shellfish play a key role in cleaning the sea by filtering water through their gills and helping to remove contaminants.

Meanwhile, in a similar way to trees absorbing carbon from the air, seagrass absorbs carbon from water and does so at a rate 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.

A third strand of the project will see the planting and restoring of three hectares of salt marsh plants, which will provide habitats ideal for wading birds.

Benj Sykes, from Ørsted, which is behind many of the wind turbines in the North Sea, said: "Now's the time for action on biodiversity. We know that the climate crisis is one of the biggest threats to our biodiversity, and so we must start to implement tangible projects that will help restore nature."