The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Native oyster reefs were once ecologically and economically dominant in many temperate estuaries around the world. Just as coral reefs are critical to tropical marine habitats, bivalve shellfish are the ecosystem engineers of bays and estuaries, creating the enabling conditions for many other species as well as providing important services to people.

Centuries of intensive fisheries extraction exacerbated by more recent coastal degradation have put oyster reefs near or past the point of functional extinction worldwide. Globally, 85 percent of reefs have been lost, making oyster reefs the most severely impacted marine habitat on the planet.

Shellfish reefs and beds are essential to the health of marine ecosystems, yet they are almost always solely managed for harvest not habitat. The Nature Conservancy’s goal is to improve the protection of 80 percent of remaining oyster reefs.

Realistic and cost-effective solutions in conservation, restoration, and management can help turn the tide for shellfish reefs. By implementing these solutions, we can work to stem reef loss and revitalize this critical habitat. Our work includes;

Shellfish Reefs at Risk report

Shellfish Habitat