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Land & Water Stories

Restoring Oyster Reefs at Continental Scale

Oyster reef viewed underwater.

The Nature Conservancy has been working with partners to restore oysters, in the Gulf and across Atlantic and Pacific Coasts.

Underwater Oyster Reef The complex, natural structure of an oyster reef keeps coastal ecosystems strong. © TNC

Texas Oysters in the Gulf In Texas, TNC works with diverse partners, from oyster harvesters to researchers, to collaboratively restore and monitor oyster reefs. © Galveston Bay Foundation

The Super-Powered Engineers of Coastal Habitat

Much like coral reefs in tropical waters, shellfish reefs are some of the best coastal habitat for young fish and sea creatures. While best known as a tasty delicacy, oysters and the reefs they build play a critical role in marine ecosystems—and, increasingly, in coastal communities.

Over the last few decades, oyster populations have dramatically decreased by 90%, causing a surge of global restoration efforts. Partnering with communities, agencies, the aquaculture industry and other public and private partners, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work across North America for years, and the efforts are paying off. We’re seeing incredible progress in the fight to bring back these powerful habitats, and the benefits these incredible shellfish provide our human communities continue to expand.

How Oysters Help People and Nature

Healthy oyster reefs protect coasts, support fisheries, boost coastal economies and improve water quality—benefits that ripple far beyond the reefs they build.

oysters growing together.
reviving habitat Restored oyster reef in Rhode Island. © Heather Kinney/TNC
A healthy estuary on the louisiana gulf coast.
River Delta Aerial view of Louisiana Gulf Coast marshlands. © Bridget Besaw
An empty crate on a boat headed out into a rough body of water.
Chesapeake A fishing boat on the Chesapeake heads into the Bay. © Jason Houston
Oysters on a tray of ice, with lemon garnishes.
Sustainable food Eating oysters can support reef restoration! © PixaBaby
reeds regrowing around bagged oyster shells, creating a natural buffer with some help from oyster shell recycling.
natural storm buffer Salt marsh grass regrows around oysters in Rhode Island © Tim Mooney/TNC
oysters growing together.
reviving habitat Restored oyster reef in Rhode Island. © Heather Kinney/TNC

Habitat

Build & Provide Habitat

Oyster reefs provide the foundation for marine plant life, which in turn provides an additional safe habitat for countless young aquatic species, including fish, eels, crab and other underwater wildlife, providing another place where they can reproduce, grow and thrive.

A healthy estuary on the louisiana gulf coast.
River Delta Aerial view of Louisiana Gulf Coast marshlands. © Bridget Besaw

Filtration

Improve Water Quality & Safety

An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, removing harmful nutrients, sediment and debris from stormwater runoff. As storms increase and pollutants reach further into our estuaries and ocean, this natural filtration system keeps the water safe and clean for people and the aquatic wildlife who live in and depend on it.

An empty crate on a boat headed out into a rough body of water.
Chesapeake A fishing boat on the Chesapeake heads into the Bay. © Jason Houston

Livelihood

Sustain Coastal Economies

The U.S. oyster industry, which includes wild oyster harvesting and oyster farming aquaculture, is an economic engine and is valued at more than $500 million, supporting economic livelihoods of numerous coastal communities across the country. (source: USDA oyster market outlook 2025) Oysters growing in cultivated estuarine farms provide all the water quality benefits of wild oysters, and farmers are partnering with restoration efforts to catalyze a rebounding oyster population.

Oysters on a tray of ice, with lemon garnishes.
Sustainable food Eating oysters can support reef restoration! © PixaBaby

Food

A Sustainable Food Source

As a food source, oysters are about as sustainable as you can get. On aquaculture farms, they do not need feeding and take minimal energy to grow. This makes their carbon footprint very small for the nutrition they provide—especially if they’re eaten locally.

reeds regrowing around bagged oyster shells, creating a natural buffer with some help from oyster shell recycling.
natural storm buffer Salt marsh grass regrows around oysters in Rhode Island © Tim Mooney/TNC

Buffer

Protect Vulnerable Coastlines

As storms increase in frequency and intensity, shoreline erosion is a rising concern for coastal communities. Oyster reefs provide an effective buffer, in the form of a living shoreline, from increasing wave action and can mitigate the effects of extreme weather.

Habitat Filtration Livelihood Food Buffer

Oysters Are at Risk Worldwide

Oyster populations are in steep decline across the Atlantic and worldwide, driven by a range of human and environmental threats.

  • oyster icon.

    90%

    of oyster population lost since 1970, on average.

  • microscope icon.

    35

    diseases identified that threaten oyster populations.

  • arrow up icon.

    Higher

    increase in harmful nutrient pollution and sedimentation.

  • crab icon.

    More

    new or increased predators as ocean temperatures rise.

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Partnerships—sometimes unexpected ones—may be key to addressing this global challenge.

Like so much of our work across the globe, our oyster work is done alongside a variety of public, private, nonprofit and local community groups. Since oysters are such a robust economic driver, our oyster reef restoration partnerships can include restaurateurs, harvesters, universities and economic development entities.

TNC’s Supporting Oysters through Aquaculture Restoration (SOAR) program is one example of an unexpected partnership that has proven essential to this work: our partnership with the aquaculture industry, or oyster farmers. Oysters grown and harvested for restaurant seafood menus provide all the ecological benefits of wild live oysters, and shell recycling programs power restoration efforts.

This win-win for coastal economies and climate resilience evolved after years of conservation partnerships and continues to drive science and innovation.

Our History of Oyster Restoration Work

Foundation
SOAR Project
What's Next?

Foundational Oyster Restoration Efforts

TNC has played an important role in oyster restoration work for decades, from restoration efforts in the Gulf Coast and Chesapeake Bay, habitat restoration in Florida's Pensacola and Perdido Bays and shellfish restoration coalitions in Maine. A few highlights:

oysters in the sun, closeup.
Oyster Reef Reef-forming species like oysters help improve water quality, provide habitat and can protect the shoreline. © Lauren Owens Lambert
four people stand in shallow water surrounded by oyster castles. water is splashing. The people are volunteers conduct oyster restoration at Virginia Coast Reserve.
Virginia Oyster Restoration Volunteers conduct oyster restoration at Virginia Coast Reserve. © Bo Lusk/TNC
2001—NOAA Restoration Partnership

TNC and NOAA’s Restoration Center elevated oyster reefs as an ecosystem in need of restoration nationwide and formed a Shellfish Network to develop and share best practices to accelerate shellfish restoration.

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Sunset over Chesapeake Bay, with two people in a boat going into the horizon, a wake flowing behind, on the otherwise calm surface.
Watermen on the Bay Young watermen are redefining the character and approach to working the Chesapeake Bay. © Jason Houston
2003—Fought for Native Oyster Species

When Chesapeake Bay states considered introducing a Chinese oyster species to replenish plummeting oyster fisheries, TNC mobilized states, scientific bodies and NGOs over six years, successfully lobbying against them.

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Hands in blue rubber gloves hold up handfuls of oysters over a rocky beach.
Hope By the Handful Oyster restoration is vital to the health of the Great Bay Estuary in New Hampshire. © Joe Klementovich
2003 - Coastal program launch in NH

After more than 30 years protecting land, TNC in New Hampshire began working in the water. Oyster restoration became a focal point in the strategy to protect the Granite State's unique inland estuary known as Great Bay.

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Someone measures an oyster shell up close.
Measuring Oysters The Bloom family and their grandkids, John (pictured) and Macaulay, foster and monitor oyster spat for a restoration project near their home at Grand Bay in New Hampshire. © Jennifer Emerling
2005 - Oyster Conservationist Program

New Hampshire took ownership of the Oyster Conservationist Program, a first-of-its-kind opportunity at TNC through which volunteers from around Great Bay raise baby oysters that are later placed on restored oyster reefs.

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Hands in gloves sort oysters in a cage.
Sorting Oysters TNC is working with fishermen, communities, and marine planners to collect information to ensure healthy fish stocks for the Mid-Atlantic’s 800 million lb. annual harvest. © Jason Houston
2008—Working Group for Restoration

A TNC-led working group made recommendations to the state of Maryland for an alternative plan focused on large-scale native oyster ecological restoration in the Chesapeake Bay and stronger investment in aquaculture.

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A closeup of a person in an orange apron with oyster tattoos on their arm.
Aquaculture and Restoration Oyster grower Scott Budden of Orchard Point Oysters shucks an oyster. Orchard Point Oysters is one of nearly 20 MD aquaculture operations participating in the SOAR program. © Severn Smith/TNC
2010—Advocating Alongside Partners

TNC and NGO partners around the Chesapeake lobbied for investment in oysters at the state and federal levels, as well as better science to inform the restoration process.

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oysters in the texas bay.
Texas Oysters Low tide exposes the oyster reefs in Corpus Christi Bay near Island Moorings Yacht Club and Marina in Port Aransas, Texas. © Erika Nortemann/TNC
2011—Shellfish Reefs at Risk study

TNC’s Shellfish Reefs at Risk study elevated oyster reefs alongside coral reefs as globally imperiled ecosystems, driving greater attention to protection, management and restoration worldwide.

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Restoration gear is lowered down the side of a boat out on the water.
Half Moon Reef Half Moon Reef oyster restoration project in Matagorda Bay, Texas. © Jerod Foster
2013—Large-Scale Restoration in Texas

TNC & partners began restoring Half Moon Reef (a 54-acre oyster reef in Matagorda Bay, TX) generating significant ecological, social and economic benefits & establishing a blueprint for coastal restoration in the Gulf.

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A woman crouching at a shoreline with her hands in the water working on oyster reef restoration.
Florida Oyster Volunteer Volunteer helps to restore oyster reefs in Mosquito Lagoon. © Anne Birch/TNC
2014—Most Ambitious Restoration Goal

TNC joined partners to announce in 2014 the restoration of oyster reefs in 10 tributaries in the Chesapeake—the world's most ambitious goal for oyster restoration.

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Crane from a boat dangles a large cage over water, and a person in a hard hat seems to check cables.
Installing a Reef Oyster reef installation in the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. © Seth Blitch/TNC
2015—OysterFlows 1st gen app launch

With partners at RT International, TNC launches the OysterFlows app, a tool that models the effect of upstream river flow scenarios on oysters in SW Louisiana.

Learn More
an aerial view of Escribano Point shoreline in Santa Rosa County’s East Bay.
Escribano Point shoreline Escribano Point shoreline in Santa Rosa County’s East Bay © Devin Ford
2015—Pensacola Bay Restoration Phase 1

In 2015, TNC received a $1.9M NFWF GEBF award for design, permitting and pre-restoration monitoring of Pensacola East Bay Oyster Restoration Phase I, developing permit-ready designs through a Technical Advisory Group.

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People planting castle-shaped substrate in shallow water, one in a boat, one ankle-deep, both smiling.
Oyster Basin Project TNC in Maine launches Maine’s first shellfish restoration pilot project in Phippsburg, Maine, growing oysters and blue mussels. © Helena Tagenhorst
2017—Basin Oyster Project Formed

TNC in Maine launches Maine’s first shellfish restoration pilot project in Phippsburg, Maine, growing oysters and blue mussels.

Learn More
visible mounds of constructed substrate to deploy oysters.
First 10 reefs 100% complete! Oyster reefs of various sizes and shapes stretch out along the East Bay shoreline. © Darryl Boudreau/NWFWMD
2019—Pensacola Bay Restoration Phase 2

In 2019, TNC received a $15.1M NFWF GEBF award to construct 33 oyster reefs along 6.5 miles of shoreline in East and Blackwater Bays, using limestone rock and innovative oyster reef designs to enhance recruitment.

oysters in the sun.
Oyster Reef Reef-forming species like oysters help improve water quality, provide habitat and can protect the shoreline. © Lauren Owens Lambert
2019—Bringing Restoration Global

TNC collaborated with Society of Ecological Restoration to take restoration to a global scale, sharing knowledge and techniques pioneered in the U.S. and translating this knowledge for local application around the world.

Learn More
People carry bins of oysters and equipment across a dock in the bright sun.
Basin Oyster Project Two people carry a large bin down a dock as part of the Basin Oyster Project. © Clark Tate
2019—Basin Oyster Project Partnership

The project transitions to partner ownership—a local partnership forms to take over the Basin Oyster Project, including the Town of Phippsburg Conservation Committee, Colby College and Manomet Conservation Sciences.

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A group gathered seated under a tent, listening to a speaker, with oyster partnership banners visible.
PEB reef celebration talk Stakeholders at an event celebrating the construction of new reefs in Pensacola East Bay, Florida. © Anne Birch
2019—Habitat Management Plan

From 2019 to 2021, TNC led the development of Florida’s first ecosystem-based oyster management plan for Pensacola Bay using a science-based process that engaged harvesters, agencies, scientists and community partners.

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Screenshot of a dashboard of a map with a visible panel to toggle on various layers of watershed information.
OysterFlows The OysterFlows app is a tool that uses streamflow data to help decision making to preserve oyster habitat. © TNC
2020—OysterFlows app expands in Gulf

In 2020, TNC and RTI secured funding from the National Academy of Science to expand the OysterFlows app project to other Gulf estuaries with oysters that are sensitive to freshwater disturbance.

Learn More
sunny bright beach on a florida coast.
Tyndall Coastline aerial photos of Tyndall Air Force Base. © Stephen Moody/Dunn Media
2023—TNC & U.S. Air Force fund Reef Work

As part of the $20M+ Tyndall Coastal Resilience Project, TNC will construct six subtidal oyster reef breakwaters using innovative reef designs to enhance coastal resilience and oyster habitat in St. Andrew Bay.

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two scientists in knee-deep water with monitoring tools.
Scientists at work Monitoring in the Pensacola Bay estuaries. © Devin Ford
2023—Oyster Restoration Initiative

From 2023 to 2027, TNC provided technical and scientific support to the Pensacola Bay Oyster Restoration Initiative, a $10.9M NOAA-funded effort to design and permit 600 ha of oyster habitat and restore the first 100 ha.

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map of Louisiana's oyster reefs.
Louisiana Oyster Projects As of 2024, TNC created nine miles of oyster reef habitat along Louisiana’s coast at Vermilion Bay, Grand Isle, St. Bernard marshes, and Calcasieu Lake. © The Nature Conservancy
2024—Nine Miles of Reef Added to Gulf

As of 2024, TNC created nine miles of oyster reef habitat along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast at Vermilion Bay, Grand Isle, St. Bernard marshes and Calcasieu Lake.

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Buckets of oysters on the back of a boat cruising through the Chesapeake Bay.
Oyster Restoration Oysters on their way to a restoration site in the Chesapeake Bay. © Daniel White/TNC
2025—Chesapeake Tributaries Restored

It was announced in 2025 that the ambitious goal of restoring oyster reefs in 10 Chesapeake Bay tributaries had been successful, making it the world’s largest completed oyster restoration initiative.

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Pandemic Sparks Restoration Innovation

An innovation in how we thought about oyster restoration was sparked in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. TNC piloted a program to work with oyster farmers (aquaculture) through the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) program.

Two people lean over a small boat and dump trays of oysters into a harbor.
SOAR Program TNC's Brianna Group and Cedar Point Oyster Company's Steve Weglarz add oysters to a restoration reef near Nanny Island in New Hampshire. © Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography
A person wearing orange fishing gear and a mask over their face shows an oyster to the camera.
Oyster Drop Brian Gennaco of Virgin Oyster Company readies his harvest to be added to a reef in Great Bay as part of TNC's SOAR Program in Durham, New Hampshire. © Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography
2019—SOAR Pilot in New Hampshire

TNC completed Restoration by Design, a blueprint for oyster restoration in NH, leading to a pilot partnering with shellfish farmers on restoration in New Hampshire, with promising preliminary results.

Learn More
Two people on a dock shovel oyster shells.
Oyster Restoration TNC and Taylor's Cultured Seafood move oysters from the company's farm to a restoration site in Fairhaven to repurpose unsold oysters. © Ayla Fox
2021—Shell recycling

Live oyster reef engineers weren't the only thing the seafood industry could help our coastal scientists solve—they also had tons (literally) of shell that we could use as substrate.

Two people dump oysters off of a boat in Durham, New Hampshire.
Oyster Restoration Brian Gennaco (right) of the Virgin Oyster Company and an employee add oysters to a restoration reef as part of the Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) program. Great Bay in Durham, New Hampshire. © Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography.com
2020—More than a dozen SOAR projects

By buying oysters from oyster farmers for our work, we supported fishing jobs in coastal economies while continuing the work of restoring oyster reefs.

Person in water with head above water holds up an oyster shell, squinting in the sun with goggles on.
Scientific Dive A TNC staff member certified as a scientific diver monitors oyster growth near the Trapani Reef in Bay St. Louis in Mississippi. © The Nature Conservancy
2023—Save Our Shells (SOS) Pilot

A pilot oyster shell recycling program launched in Mississippi in 2023. Save Our Shells (SOS) highlights the impact that shell recycling can have on restoring oyster reef habitat and a once-thriving Gulf Coast industry.

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Upcoming Oyster Restoration Projects

We continue to scale oyster restoration efforts, from living shoreline projects to water quality partnerships with state agencies and collaboration with offshore wind.

A shoreline featuring an oyster restoration site.
First 10 reefs 100% complete! Oyster reefs of various sizes and shapes stretch out along the East Bay shoreline. © Darryl Boudreau/NWFWMD
Aerial view of the coastline at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.
Tyndall Coastline Aerial photos of Tyndall Air Force Base. © Stephen Moody/Dunn Media
2026—Tyndall Living Shoreline

Starting in 2026, TNC will construct an oyster reef breakwater, the first nature-based solution to be implemented at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.

Learn more
A boat going by some offshore wind turbines.
Wind Power Offshore wind towers harness the power of sea breezes. © iStock
2026—Offshore Wind (OSW) Collaboration

With the partnership between The Rich North Sea, the Native Oyster Restoration Alliance & many restoration partners, TNC's goal is to embed oyster reef restoration as a nature-positive design standard in OSW development.

Learn More
An oblong oyster cage being shaken over a sandy beach.
Elkhorn Slough An aquaculture basket is being used to aid in Olympia oyster restoration efforts in Elkhorn Slough. © Ralph Pace
2026—Team Oly advocates for California

As part of the Native Olympia Oyster Collaboration, TNC and partners are working to raise awareness and bring native Olympia Oysters back to the San Francisco Bay.

Learn More
a long line of volunteers helping to install substrate for oysters to grow on.
Installing a living shoreline More than 150 volunteers installed
a 240-foot long living shoreline
along Goldbug Island. © TNC

Oysters’ Impact by the Numbers

Oysters have enormous positive impact on communities, livelihoods and millions of the oceans’ inhabitants. Here are a few ways we’ve seen success.

  • An icon of an underwater plant.

    300

    marine species using oyster reefs for habitat in the Gulf

  • Icon of oysters.

    5.6 Mil

    SOAR program planted 5.6 million oysters to date in 8 states

  • fishing boat icon.

    8,000

    jobs supported by oyster farming on the Atlantic Coast

  • map icon.

    21

    TNC's done oyster work in all coastal states on mainland US

  • Icon of a wetland.

    50%

    increase in effectiveness protecting shorelines from erosion

  • Icon of an oyster.

    $1.3M

    increase in economic activity from TX's Half Moon Reef alone

A Sampling of Oyster Restoration Projects

Explore the map below or scroll through projects for just a few examples of the numerous oyster restoration initiatives, projects, partnerships and programs TNC has led or supported with partners.

Projects

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Basin Oyster Project Building Reefs in Maine
× Two women in hats dump a large gray tote filled with oyster shells into water on a sunny day.

Basin Oyster Project Building Reefs in Maine

Oyster Restoration Project

The Basin Oyster Project is a collaborative initiative founded by TNC in Maine and now run by the Town of Phippsburg, Colby College, Manomet Conservation Sciences and Maine Oyster Company, who are working together to build oyster reefs in Maine.

Image © Clark Tate

Learn More
Restoring Oysters in New Hampshire’s Great Bay
× Smiling women oyster farmers in water with oyster bins.

Restoring Oysters in New Hampshire’s Great Bay

Oyster Restoration Project

Great Bay is the largest estuary north of the Chesapeake. Learn how New Hampshire scientists and oyster farmers are partnering through SOAR to help us understand water quality, habitat needs and the best restoration techniques for Great Bay.

Image © Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography.com

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World’s Largest Oyster Restoration Completed
× aerial photo of a barge filled with oyster shell.

World’s Largest Oyster Restoration Completed

Oyster Restoration Project

In the Chesapeake Bay, TNC and partners, including state and federal agencies as well as other non-profits, have been working together in an aggressive and concerted effort to restore oyster reefs in 10 bay tributaries.

Image © Erika Nortemann/TNC

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Mashpee Oyster Restoration on Cape Cod
× People wearing orange waders and a variety of warm-weather gear standing on a floating dock in the middle of a bay, on piles of oyster shell. There is a yellow buoy border marking off a section of the water around the floating platform.

Mashpee Oyster Restoration on Cape Cod

Oyster Restoration Project

In Massachusetts, TNC kicked off a restoration project on Cape Cod in close partnership with the town and the state Division of Marine Fisheries. It’s part of a larger habitat restoration strategy for building resilience along the coast with a combination of oyster reef, eelgrass & salt marsh restoration—marking a shift from site-scale oyster projects toward system-scale multi-habitat restoration.

Image © Mike Gearin

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Oyster Reef Rebuilding at Quonochontaug Pond
× Quonochontaug Marsh, a sandy grassy beach, at dusk.

Oyster Reef Rebuilding at Quonochontaug Pond

Oyster Restoration Project

In 2016 and 2017, TNC and state partners built 17 experimental oyster reefs in two coastal lagoons or “salt ponds” using recycled oyster and clam shells. Multiple strains of oyster spat were tested (locally sourced vs. hatchery-raised) and post-construction monitoring continued over several years.

Image © Madison Geraci

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Oyster Reef Restoration at Delaware's Inland Bays
× video of any oyster project in Delaware
Watch Video

Oyster Reef Restoration at Delaware's Inland Bays

Oyster Restoration Project

In 2025, TNC supported a Delaware Inland Bays restoration project that strengthened collaboration between aquaculture and conservation partners. The project created new opportunities for growers to raise and supply oysters for restoration and monitored a 5,000-square-foot reef built with recycled shell. Local farmers contributed 66,000 diploid oysters to the reef.

Image © Delaware Center for the Inland Bays

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SOAR Program in Maryland
× oysters being dumped into a bin for sale to TNC.

SOAR Program in Maryland

Oyster Restoration Project

In Maryland, the SOAR program has purchased and deployed a total to date of nearly 1.5 million oysters replanted in the Bay. Recently, the MD SOAR program purchased market-size diploid oysters ready to spawn to help immediately increase oyster populations and reproduction rates on sanctuary reefs.

Image © Patrick Bloodgood/U.S. Army photo

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A Slam Dunk for New York Oysters: SOAR
× Former WNBA star Sue Wicks at her Long Island oyster farm, Violet Cove.

A Slam Dunk for New York Oysters: SOAR

Oyster Restoration Project

Through SOAR, WNBA star Sue Wicks’ farm sold 20,000 oysters for transplant in Moriches Bay, one of six SOAR sites set up around New York with the help of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Image © Sue Wicks

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Oyster Restoration in Virginia
× TNC's Brittany Gonzales counts bags of shell placed by Dickinson College students at the Hillcrest Oyster Sanctuary during an alternative spring break experience, March 2020.

Oyster Restoration in Virginia

Oyster Restoration Project

At Wachapreague, volunteers build reefs by hand using lightweight materials, while in the Piankatank River, barges place substrate at a larger scale.

Image © Daniel White/TNC

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Oyster Restoration, Shell Recycling and More in NC
× two people in kayaks in very shallow water, with rocky and maybe shellfish-covered coastal water beneath them.

Oyster Restoration, Shell Recycling and More in NC

Oyster Restoration Project

The Nature Conservancy joined the North Carolina Coastal Federation in working toward the return of healthy oyster reefs along North Carolina’s shoreline. So far, they've built more than 3,000 linear feet of oyster reef and 50 acres of deep-water oyster sanctuaries, in addition to a thriving shell recycling program, in partnership with a thriving culinary community.

Image © Lora Eddy

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Building a Living Shoreline in South Carolina
× healthy marsh grass at Morgan Park.

Building a Living Shoreline in South Carolina

Oyster Restoration Project

The Boyd Living Shoreline in Georgetown is helping to reduce erosion at Morgan Park while also creating new habitat for crabs, birds, fish and shrimp.

Image © Cara Chancellor/TNC

Learn More
Nature-Based Solutions in Coastal Georgia
× Salt marsh and hammock along Mosquito Creek border on Little St. Simons Island.

Nature-Based Solutions in Coastal Georgia

Oyster Restoration Project

TNC’s first two pilot living shoreline projects were constructed on Sapelo Island in 2008. To date, projects are underway or completed on Little St. Simons Island, Cannon’s Point Preserve, Little Cumberland Island, Tybee Island and Skidaway Island.

Image © Marc Del Santro

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Restoration at Pensacola and Perdido Bays
× Oyster reef restoration shoreline site.

Restoration at Pensacola and Perdido Bays

Oyster Restoration Project

TNC’s work in Pensacola Bay led to a restoration plan being adopted and the establishment of the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program, whose mission is to implement the plan. The plan includes areas for aquaculture, reef restoration and other marine uses.

Image © Anne Birch/TNC

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10 Miles of Oyster Reef Built Off Louisiana Coast
× a marshy coastline in the sun, nearing golden hour or early morning, as warm light fills the clear blue sky.

10 Miles of Oyster Reef Built Off Louisiana Coast

Oyster Restoration Project

The Nature Conservancy and partners are collaborating to rebuild oyster reefs across the Gulf, and Louisiana is one of the most viable places for oyster reef restoration.

Image © JCW Creative

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Mississippi’s Save Our Shells (SOS) Program
× thousands of oyster shells curing in the sun.

Mississippi’s Save Our Shells (SOS) Program

Oyster Restoration Project

The “Save Our Shells” oyster shell recycling program started collecting shells in 2024, expanding to 18 restaurants across the MS coast, and has collected more than 500,000 pounds of shells that will be used for restoration projects in the Mississippi Sound.

Image © Tony Jupp

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The Bay of St. Louis Gains 40 Acres of Oyster Reef
× barges seen from overhead, sitting in the water, with piles of rock and a crane shoveling the rocks into the water.

The Bay of St. Louis Gains 40 Acres of Oyster Reef

Oyster Restoration Project

Named after the late Bay St. Louis resident and legendary Hancock County chef and restaurant owner Tony Trapani, an approximately 40-acre oyster reef was built in 2024 in the Bay of St. Louis. The project came about in response to natural and man-made disasters that decimated local oyster populations in this part of the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.

Image © The Nature Conservancy

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Texas’ First Industry-Led Sanctuary Oyster Reef
× oysters from Rett Reef being emptied from a large metal cage onto a surface in a boat.

Texas’ First Industry-Led Sanctuary Oyster Reef

Oyster Restoration Project

In 2024, TNC, Texas Sea Grant and San Leon Oyster Fest restored Rett Reef, a 10-acre oyster reef in Galveston Bay and the first non-harvestable oyster reef restoration project led by a commercial harvester in Texas. This innovative partnership between the oyster industry and restoration practitioners demonstrates how people and nature can thrive together.

Image © Claire Everett

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Restoration Across the Southern Delta Watershed
× Gorgeous aerial view of an estuary in rich greens and sparkling, reflective ribbons of water, under some wisps of cloud cover.

Restoration Across the Southern Delta Watershed

Oyster Restoration Project

Across the Southern Delta Gulf Coast, restoration work is underway that includes oyster reef building, shell recycling programs, river oyster restoration and oyster management planning.

Image © Bridget Besaw

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Success Story in the Gulf: Texas’ Half Moon Reef
× a boat in the water.

Success Story in the Gulf: Texas’ Half Moon Reef

Oyster Restoration Project

Four years after Half Moon Reef’s completion, biodiversity was 1,014% greater on the reef than on the adjacent bay bottom.

Image © Jerod Foster/TNC

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Restoring California’s Native Oyster
× Aerial view at dawn with low light of the Monterey Bay estuary, with snaking lines of shallow and deeper water across the bay against the coast.

Restoring California’s Native Oyster

Oyster Restoration Project

TNC is working with partners in California to restore the once-plentiful native Olympia oyster beds. In Elkhorn Slough, we’re working on the state’s first remote setting experiment, piloting a restoration process where oyster larvae are transported from controlled hatcheries to the wild restoration site.

Image © Kiliii Yuyan

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Olympia Oysters Poised for a Comeback in WA
× A muddy or sandy hand and measuring device around the width of a gnarled oyster shell, with muddy sand in the background.

Olympia Oysters Poised for a Comeback in WA

Oyster Restoration Project

Most of the oysters cultivated in Washington and Oregon waters are non-native, the Pacific oyster being the most common. But thanks to TNC, the Olympia oyster is cultivated in small quantities and is hopefully poised for a comeback—with some help. They are all good neighbors, doing their part to make Pacific Northwest saltwater bays and estuaries cleaner.

Image © TNC Washington

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Oregon Coastal Mariculture Collaborative
× a gloved hand picking up an oyster from a pile of oysters on a table with a cage and shore behind.

Oregon Coastal Mariculture Collaborative

Oyster Restoration Project

The Oregon Coastal Mariculture Collaborative (OCMC) is a collaborative of Oregon-based organizations, brought together by a shared focus on restorative mariculture (aquaculture of shellfish & seaweeds) on the Oregon coast, with support from The Nature Conservancy and partners.

Image © Hannah Letinich

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Advancing Oyster Restoration with Our Partners

Restoring oyster reef systems is work we can't accomplish alone. Here are some of the ways we are working with our partners to bring back abundant oyster reefs in support of healthy coastal ecosystems.

scientists on a boat smile for the camera.
Oyster Reef Sampling TNC Texas staff conduct oyster reef monitoring in Galveston Bay with partners from TPWD and GBF. © Kathy Sweezey

Global Oyster Restoration Efforts

Our work to rebuild oyster populations extends far beyond North America. Explore some of our oyster reef restoration projects, past and present, from around the world.

Partnering with Offshore Wind in the North Sea

In April 2026, The Rich North Sea, the Native Oyster Restoration Alliance and TNC announced a new collaboration to accelerate the large-scale development of native oyster reefs at offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Learn More

Restoring Australia’s Oyster Reefs

Less than 10% of Australia’s natural shellfish reefs remain. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, TNC Australia and the Australian Government formed a partnership to deliver Australia’s largest marine initiative to date. Learn More

Oyster Reefs in Hong Kong Show Big Promise

A small crab was discovered for the first time in Hong Kong on TNC's project reef. This exciting development gives us hope and shows how vital shellfish reef ecosystems are in supporting a variety of species. Learn More

Explore Return
Grey world map graphic.
an oyster shaped like a heart held up by a smiling person in sunglasses and a hat.
Oyster Love An oyster shell shaped like a heart. © Matt Kane/TNC

Chesapeake Bay Success

World's Largest Oyster Restoration Goal Met

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Listen to the story:

 

Oyster restoration and aquaculture is the topic of episode one of “Nature is the Solution,” TNC in Massachusetts’ podcast showcasing nature’s role in securing a future where people and nature thrive.

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Restoration Efforts in Action

Learn more about oyster restoration projects from Maine to Texas, Washington to California and waters in between.

Tipping Point for Texas Oysters (4:45) Texas oyster fisheries are at a crossroads. While oysters are the cornerstone of the Gulf Coast economy and heritage, populations have reached historic lows. TNC in Texas has developed a new approach to oyster restoration by building reefs that designate a portion as sanctuary and the other half as harvestable for commercial fishing. Working with partners and Gulf fishers, we aim to restore marine habitat while helping revive the economic vitality of our fisheries.
Creating Living Shorelines in Georgia: Mission Possible (1:01) Nik Heynen is helping rebuild Georgia’s coast—one oyster shell at a time—through Shell to Shore, a local organization that uses recycled oyster shells from local restaurants to create living shorelines that protect coastal habitats and reduce erosion. This work is supported in part by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's SOAR grant, a federal initiative funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support aquaculture and habitat restoration near coastal communities. © Tyler Reinhold
Supporting Oyster Farmers in Seven States (3:40) TNC is working with partners to purchase more than five million surplus farmed oysters—unable to go to market because of the restaurant closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—and using them in nearby oyster restoration projects. Supporting these growers in seven states is a win-win for these environmentally friendly businesses and for our ocean ecosystems. © Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography.com
Diving Deep on Aquaculture (3:57) TNC is collaborating with oyster farmers in Massachusetts, like Skip Bennett, owner of Island Creek Oyster Company, to study how growing oysters can benefit people and nature. Sustainable seafood and conservation interests are aligned through these restoration efforts. © Island Creek Oysters
TNC Is Helping Oyster Farmers Impacted by COVID-19 (2:37) This story showcases Bruce Silverbrand, a Massachusetts oyster farmer whose business was hit hard by the effects of the global pandemic. TNC in Massachusetts worked with partners to help Bruce and several other oyster farmers by buying their unsold oysters and re-deploying them for ecological benefit. This is a win-win for environmentally friendly businesses and ocean ecosystems. © Ayla Fox
"We're Oyster Farmers" (4:01) With water quality in rapid decline, two men turn a dream of aquaculture into part of an environmental solution. From the "Our Island, Our Water, Our Future" short documentary film series with The Nature Conservancy. Starring: Mike Martinsen & Mike Doall of Montauk Shellfish Company. Executive Producer: Carl Lobue @ The Nature Conservancy on Long Island

More Oyster Restoration Stories

Read more stories about our oyster restoration work.

Diving Deep on Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration

To safeguard coastal health, TNC is both restoring oyster reefs and working directly with shellfish farmers.

The Human Side of Restoration: How Social Science Drives Our Work in the Chesapeake Bay

At The Nature Conservancy, we recognize that restoring the Chesapeake Bay requires more than understanding ecology, hydrology and water quality. It requires understanding people.

Tony Trapani Oyster Reef

The Nature Conservancy constructed a 35-acre oyster reef following natural and man-made disasters that have decimated populations in the Bay of St. Louis.

Turning the Tide for Texas Oysters

The Nature Conservancy is turning the tide for Texas oysters, using an innovative restoration approach to revitalize Gulf oyster populations for ecology and economy alike.

three pairs of feet in rubber boots stand at the water's edge.
Oyster Restoration TNC staff stand in rubber boots at the edge of the water at an oyster restoration site at Alabama Port. © 2010 Andrew Kornylak