Isle of Wight: Endangered oysters reintroduced to local waters

Thousands of oysters are to be reintroduced to island waters as part of efforts to restore the native population.

The common oysters will be hung in baskets beneath pontoons at Cowes, Isle of Wight, this summer.

Conservationists hope they will release millions of oyster larvae.

Native oyster reefs in the UK have declined by 95% since the mid-1800s mainly due to overfishing, according to the government.

The Blue Marine Foundation is overseeing efforts to restock the Solent area, including the Cowes scheme and a project in the River Hamble.

It said the baskets, hosted by the UK Sailing Academy, would also provide a refuge for other marine life including endangered European eels, young seahorses and sea bass.

Dr Luke Helmer, from the charity, said: "I'm really looking forward to seeing what other creatures inhabit the oyster nursery with this first Isle of Wight project."

The baskets and initial oyster stock were funded by Cowes Harbour Commissioners.

In 2013, oyster fishing was banned across most of the Solent area after authorities found the molluscs were failing to reproduce.

Conservation charity The Wildlife Trusts said the common or native oyster was in a "poor state" due to "years of unsustainable trawling and the spread of a deadly disease".

It said the species, which was previously widespread across the UK, had been reduced to strongholds in the Solent, the River Fal through Cornwall and south-east England, including the Thames Estuary.

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