NOAA has identified oyster reef restoration as a conservation priority. When they are restored and managed as a sustainable resource, oyster reefs and the habitat they provide can contribute billions of dollars in value to the economy. When oyster reefs are only used as a place to harvest commercial oyster meat, they can become degraded. Ongoing threats to oysters mean that, unless deliberate efforts are made to protect and restore them, we are in danger of losing the benefits oyster reefs provide. In some places, oyster reefs can serve as barriers to storms and tides, preventing erosion and protecting productive estuary waters. These animals filter and clean the surrounding water and provide habitat, food, and jobs. Oysters are a crucial component of global ocean health. They also provide a safe nursery for commercially valuable species including: Oyster reefs provide habitat to forage fish, invertebrates, and other shellfish. Organisms like mussels, barnacles, and sea anemones settle on them, creating abundant food sources for commercially valuable fish. Oyster reefs create important habitat for hundreds of species. As the reef takes shape, it becomes an excellent shelter for other sea life. Rocks, old shells, wrecks, and piers accumulate oysters that grow together, shell upon shell. Before long, they settle down and attach to a solid surface where they will grow for the rest of their lives.
Oysters begin life as free-floating larvae-tiny, swimming creatures.
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