OYSTER REEF - DESIGN, RESEARCH & PRODUCTION Center

Traditional oyster reef restoration rely on natural oyster colonization of shoreline structures, seawalls and artificial reefs. Varying combinations of pollution, changes in temperature, water quality and salinity, all conspire to delay or inhibit oyster growth.

The Oyster Institute reduces risk of reef restoration by directly placing spat (juvenile oysters) onto each reef structures then growing in raceways until juvenile oysters are established and thriving. 

This highly innovative approach ensures higher survival and more stable growth from initiation, which significantly boosts the establishment and sustainability of oyster populations, enhancing ecological benefits like water filtration and shoreline stabilization.

For over five years the Institute has been on a global journey to identify, catalog and evaluate over 70 different reef substrates and production systems being used around the world.

Working with our partners Betsy Stewart & Mike Keramidas we are building and launching the ZIP program with one simple aim - bring together the innovators, builders and biologists to create the definitive database living oyster reefs - we know of no other similar program.

The  center uses a multi-disciplinary, data driven design approach to optimize the effectiveness of oyster reef restoration projects globally by developing bio-enhancing materials and structures that more closely mimic natural oyster beds

The center's Fellowship program is designed to bring together a multi-disciplinary network for artists, world class engineers, architects, constructors, material scientist, biologist and oysters experts to focused on the generation of innovative design and research able to build efficiently high density living oyster reefs.