The project will deploy 40,000 Oyster Heaven artificial reefs pre-loaded with oyster spat, installed by Norfolk Seaweed.
Photo: Oyster Heaven / Purina
A major project to restore native oyster populations is underway off the North Norfolk coast, with plans to embed four million oysters by the end of 2026. The initiative, which will create the UK’s largest oyster reef, is designed to improve water quality and rebuild marine habitats that support a wide range of species.
The restoration effort is being led by Oyster Heaven in partnership with petcare company Purina and local aquaculture business Norfolk Seaweed. Together, the organisations say they aim to address the dramatic decline of native European oysters, which once thrived along UK shores but have been largely lost over the past century.
The project will involve the deployment of 40,000 specially-designed clay structures known as "Mother Reefs". Each of these are pre-loaded with 100 juvenile oysters, or spats, grown in a controlled environment to ensure high survival rates, explained Oyster Heaven founder and CEO, George Birch.
Oyster Heaven founder and CEO George Birch demonstrates the "Mother Reef" clay structures.
Photo: Oyster Heaven / Purina
"Building an oyster reef is all about large numbers to create population tipping points and provide a suitable habitat," Birch said, via a press release. "These oyster reef systems then act as a foundation for the whole ecosystem, generating an oasis of life on the seafloor."
The first batch of the Mother Reef structures was placed on the seabed in August, with Norfolk Seaweed personnel overseeing the installation process.
Kerstin Schmeiduch, Director of Sustainability at Purina Europe, said the project represents a key milestone for the company’s Ocean Restoration Programme, which aims to restore 1,500 hectares of marine habitat across Europe by 2030.
“We source fish by-products for our pet food – meaning no part of the fish goes to waste while delivering valuable vitamins and minerals for pets. We are thrilled to be working with Oyster Heaven, marking an important step towards improving marine restoration along the Norfolk coastline and a first for Purina in the UK," she said.
"As marine biodiversity faces significant challenges, it is essential we come together for collective restoration efforts. We urge other companies and organisations to work together on collaborative solutions for the benefit of ocean health," Schmeiduch added.
When finished, the Norfolk reef will form part of the largest oyster restoration initiative in Europe, with similar projects already underway in the Netherlands, Norway, France, and Portugal.
