Coastal restaurants typically go through thousands of pounds of oyster shell in one season, all of which often gets sent to a landfill. However, these shells hold incredible ecological value! When wild oysters spawn, the larvae seek the shells of other oysters onto which they will set and grow into elaborate reef structures, offering crucial habitat for a menagerie of other marine species.

Working with local restaurants, we have developed a robust Shell Recycling Program that we operate on the East End of Long Island with select restaurants. Our key shell recycling partners for this location are Little Creek Oysters, Little Ram, and Silver Sands. If you would like to volunteer with our shell collection team please contact Kate Rossi-Snook at kr474@cornell.edu

Oysters are considered a “keystone species” for marine ecosystems because not only are they incredible water filterers, they also create a complex reef structure as they grow that offers critical habitat for many important species, and helps to buffer storm surge which reduces coastal erosion.

The process of setting oyster larvae on clean, empty oyster shells is called “remote setting.” It is performed in a tank with controlled conditions, and only takes a couple of days for the oyster larvae to find their permanent home. When oysters are set in this manner, it is referred to as “spat-on-shell” (SOS), and oftentimes many oysters will set on a single shell, creating a 3D structure as they grow larger. These reef oysters are not meant to be harvested, but rather to help enhance the wild oyster population. Working in tandem with our Back to the Bays Shell Recycling Program, we will be establishing an SOS Reef Restoration Site in our Back to the Bays Stewardship Sites across the East End of Long Island.

Eelgrass is a key aspect of our restoration work at our Stewardship Sites, as meadows offer essential habitat to commercially and recreationally important finfish + shellfish species. We are also exploring the use of other species of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), such as widgeon grass, depending on site specifications.

Our habitat team’s work continues into the intertidal and upland zones, restoring native spartina and dune grasses as well, which are critical for a thriving coastal ecosystem.