How important are oyster reefs to the marine ecosystem?

Oyster reefs are considered keystone species, supporting 466 different marine organisms and making up entire ecosystems. The loss of over 90% of the world's wild oyster reefs has had a devastating impact on marine biodiversity.

Home / Environment / Norfolk Firm Revives Endangered Oyster Reefs, Boosting Marine Biodiversity

Norfolk Firm Revives Endangered Oyster Reefs, Boosting Marine Biodiversity

Q: What is the Norfolk Oyster Company doing to revive native oysters?

The Norfolk Oyster Company is leasing a stretch of seabed off Blakeney and plans to seed it with 40,000 special clay bricks, each preloaded with year-old oyster spat, in an effort to restore self-sustaining oyster reef communities.

Q: Why were native oysters historically significant in England?

Native oysters were once so abundant in England that they were said to have inspired Caesar's invasion. Later emperors valued them so highly that they paid their weight in gold to obtain them, and the town of Boston in Lincolnshire may have first developed as a port to supply the shellfish to the banqueting couches of Rome.

4 Nov

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Summary

Norfolk Oyster Company leases seabed to seed it with 40,000 clay bricks with oyster spat
Aims to restore self-sustaining oyster reef communities, supporting 466 marine organisms
Native oysters were once so abundant they inspired Caesar's invasion of England

Norfolk Firm Revives Endangered Oyster Reefs, Boosting Marine Biodiversity

In November 2025, a Norfolk-based company is making efforts to revive not just the European flat oyster, but the entire wealth of marine species that once thrived on the nearby seabed. The company, Norfolk Oyster Company, has leased a stretch of seabed off Blakeney and plans to seed it with 40,000 special clay bricks, each preloaded with year-old oyster spat.

The goal is for these human-made reefs to flourish into self-sustaining oyster communities, which are known to support 466 different marine organisms and are considered keystone species - the makers of entire ecosystems. This ambitious project aims to bring back the ecological riches that were lost when dredgers destroyed over 90% of the world's wild oyster reefs.

Historically, native oysters were so abundant in this region that they were said to have inspired Caesar's invasion of England. Later emperors valued them so highly that they paid their weight in gold to obtain them. The Norfolk Oyster Company hopes to revive this remarkable cultural legacy, but their primary focus is on restoring the marine biodiversity that once thrived in these waters.

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