US Oyster Farmers Rescued By Conservation Programme Buying Millions Of Shellfish

Times of India · environment

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, US oyster farmers faced millions of unsold shellfish as restaurants closed. A rescue programme, Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR), has since purchased over 7 million oysters from 150 growers. These oysters have been used to restore 35 damaged marine reef sites across eight states, regenerating over 60 acres of native reefs. The initiative has also been instrumental in protecting more than 1,000 aquaculture and related jobs, with its successful model now documented in a new handbook.