Crocheted Oysters Await Adoption to Revive Coastal Ecosystems

In a unique conservation effort, a charity in northeast England is calling on the public to adopt thousands of crocheted oysters. The Groundwork NE and Cumbria charity aims to mirror the 4,000 European native oysters that were recently released off the North East coast, with each handmade, woolly oyster costing £10 to adopt.

The adoption program is part of the Wild Oysters Project, which is working to restore native oyster populations that have declined by more than 95% across the UK since the 1800s. Lisa Locke, the director of business development at Groundwork NE, explains that crocheting or adopting an oyster will "help our local marine recovery." This is because a single oyster can filter up to 200 liters of water per day, equivalent to a bathtub full, while the reefs they create provide a vital habitat for other species.

Ashleigh Tinlin-Mackenzie, a marine ecology specialist at Groundwork NE, emphasizes that restoring native oysters is not just about bringing back a lost species, but about building a healthier, more resilient North Sea ecosystem. With the public's support through the adoption program, the charity hopes to continue its efforts to revive the once-thriving oyster populations along the northeast England coastline.