At least 500,000 flat oysters will be introduced into the Port of Rotterdam on 2 September as part of a pilot project aimed at restoring oyster reefs in the North Sea, according to Van Oord's release.
The trial will test a method that combines nature restoration with the installation of maritime infrastructure such as wind turbines, breakwaters and subsea cables. The approach, called the remote setting method, involves cultivating millions of oyster larvae in a hatchery before transferring them into shipping containers with seawater and rocks. Within days, the larvae attach to the rocks and grow into juveniles. After several weeks, the containers are transported by vessel and the oyster-bearing rocks are released into the sea.
Researchers are also examining whether reef sounds influence oyster larvae in selecting habitats. If confirmed, the sounds could be used to improve settlement success.
The pilot is part of a partnership involving Van Oord and nine consortium members, including Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University & Research, ARK Rewilding Nederland, Stichting Zeeschelp, Waardenburg Ecology, TenneT, Port of Rotterdam Authority and De Rijke Noordzee. The consortium has been developing the method for the past three years.
The consortium will monitor the survival and growth rates of the oysters in the coming months. Another trial using the remote setting method is planned for next year at a TenneT subsea cable crossing in open waters.