Oyster restoration project to enrich Milford Haven Waterway

The scheme aims to restore the population of once-abundant native oysters and is being carried out in partnership with Tethys Oysters in Angle Bay, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer and Bangor University and forms part of the Blue Carbon Strand of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s Wild Coast.

Over 200,000 native oyster spat may be produced and director of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, James Parkin believes this is essential for the environment.

“Designated landscapes, such as the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, account for 25 per cent of the Welsh landscape, which means they have a vital role in helping nature to recover,” said Parkin.

"The Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places Landscapes Fund is having a significant impact on our ability to create a sustainable and resilient environment for future generations.”

Since the project began last year, Ostrea edulis broodstock have been collected from Angle Bay and Burton Ferry with the goal of raising and then returning them to Milford Haven Waterway to increase current oyster populations.

“Native British oyster populations have declined dramatically over the decades, as a result of habitat loss, pollution, over-harvesting and disease,” said National Park Officer, Sarah Mellor.

“This has significant implications for the health of our marine environment. As well as being filter feeders that actively purify the surrounding water, oysters also store carbon, and their reefs also play an important role in fostering biodiversity by providing food, shelter, and protection for a wide variety of marine life.”

Currently, the Milford Haven Waterway contains the parasitic disease Bonamia that restricts the movement of oysters, and this is compounded by the lack of nursery facilities providing native oysters for restoration.

Plus, native oysters introduced to the Waterway have been reared in Morecambe Bay

However, old native oysters may possess some resistance to Bonamia, so the restoration of oysters using indigenous stock could protect to make-up of local populations.

The first batch of around 40 oysters have commenced conditioning to spawn in their temporary nursery while the remaining oysters will be spawned in the spring and early summer of 2024.

The Oyster regeneration project is also being funded by the Welsh Government and is coordinated by Tirweddau Cymru Landscapes Wales, besides receiving support from Sustainable Landscapes and the Sustainable Places Programme.