“It’s All About Momentum” - How The Massachusetts Oyster Project is Sustainably Enhancing Waterways
A key driver of this momentum shift is the Massachusetts Oyster Project (MOP), which is implementing shellfish programs including cultivation, restoration, shell recycling, advocacy, and education across the state. If you live in the area, you might have already eaten in or driven past one of their partner restaurants with an oyster collection bucket outside!
The Cape Cod-based non-profit, supported by 11th Hour Racing’s grant program, is dedicated to revitalizing marine ecosystems and promoting sustainable practices. Their success revolves around a powerful ally: the small but mighty oyster.
“People want to see improvement in their local environment,” says Erika Smith, Program Coordinator at MOP. “One of the ways we can do this sustainably is through oysters.”
Amazingly, just one oyster can filter 50 gallons of water––so when large quantities of these bivalves are returned to the ocean, it has a transformative effect on water quality and wider marine health.
The potential for positive change is so huge that MOP is supporting programs to utilize the magical creatures all over Massachusetts. Their inspiring work is explored further through the perspectives of citizens, scientists, students, and government officials in the new film Operation Restoration: Oyster [at the top of this page].
What is an oyster upweller?
Oyster upwellers, or as Erika likens them, “nurseries,” are purpose-built stations where oysters grow in a safe environment until they can survive in the wild.
Spat (oyster seed) is placed in buckets pumped full of ocean water. The seeds begin to feed off the plankton and grow safely away from predators until they are large enough to be released.
MOP currently has seven upwellers and typically positions them in high-traffic pedestrian areas, so they are accessible for students and interested onlookers to witness, engage, and learn.
“For change to happen, something has to be real and recognizable,” Erika says. “If you can feel something, and it has an impact on you directly, you can understand it.”
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“For change to happen, something has to be real and recognizable.”
Oyster shells are not trash
Another keystone program is recycling empty shells and putting them back in the water to create favorable environments for oyster reefs to grow.
“Shells are considered trash,” Erika says. “But the value they add when back in the water is huge.”
MOP has been recycling shells from restaurants across Cape Cod since 2021. After a year of drying and aging to kill any harmful bacteria, all the shells they collect in the buckets are ready to begin protecting and preserving our coastlines once again.
Restaurants can take pride in recycling their shells rather than sending them to landfills, giving customers confidence not only in where their food comes from but also in how it’s disposed of afterward.
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Engaging the local community in Yarmouth
A great example of the programs in action can be found in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, where Shellfish Constable Casaundra Healy has collaborated with MOP to establish both oyster upwelling and shell recycling programs in the town.
Casaundra fell in love with aquaculture during a college internship and has now been working in the shellfish industry for seven years. As Yarmouth’s Shellfish Constable, she’s in charge of an area where fishing is “almost religion,” and people have “salt water in their veins.”
Alongside patrolling and ensuring strict compliance with fishing rules, Casaundra is also tasked with monitoring, protecting, and preserving Yarmouth’s national habitats.
“It comes down to sustainability,” she says. “If I see further decline anywhere, I will come up with ways to resolve it.”
The Yarmouth Upweller is one such solution, and Casaundra hopes it will grow 60,000 oysters to put back in the Bass River.
“We’re very proud to be running both programs,” Casaundra says. “Shellfish are a critical piece of the puzzle on how to get nature back in balance with itself.
“Our key focus is on improving water quality and bringing back the native population of shellfish that have declined over time.
“We’ve had a huge outpouring of support from the local community with multiple organizations and departments coming together.
“We rely on their insight to guide where changes can be implemented that will hopefully revert some of the critical endangerments before they get too extreme.”
"Shellfish are a critical piece of the puzzle on how to get nature back in balance with itself."
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One million oysters by 2030
The shell recycling program aims to collect over 75,000 pounds of shells in 2024 with the help of volunteers and local restaurants––and ultimately plant one million oysters by 2030. As momentum continues to grow, the hope is that more communities will start implementing MOP’s programs.
Erika concludes: “As we continue to expand and start more programs, I hope other cities will think: ‘If they can do it, why can’t we? What’s holding us back?’
“It’s all about momentum, and I think we can continue building it.”
"It’s all about momentum, and I think we can continue building it."
Operation Restoration is a new five-part film series that highlights five of 11th Hour Racing’s remarkable ecosystem restoration grantees. Through the eyes of those on the front lines, we'll share their passion, determination, and the impact of their work in restoring the planet’s balance.
Watch “Operation Restoration: Oyster,” as well as the full series, on YouTube today.
Hero image credit: ©Brian Nevins / 11th Hour Racing
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Jamie Haines, sailor “I grew up on the ocean, and in order to protect it, we need to solve the climate crisis. It all goes hand in hand.”
Ian Walsh, big wave surfer “As athletes, ocean health and sustainability are at the heart of what we do – without the ocean, we wouldn’t be here.”
Steve Benjamin, filmmaker “I really want people to fall in love with the ocean, to appreciate it more, and to try to alter their behavior around it. Everything ends up in the ocean, and it’s such a dumping ground for humanity. My hope is that people see the ocean as a living entity that needs to be protected.”
Amory Ross, storyteller “How can I describe the ocean? The ocean is impossible to describe because it is endless; it is full of life, wonder, and mystery.”
