Six offshore oyster hubs have been installed at the 760 MW Ecowende offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea, as part of an initiative to help restore native European flat oyster populations.
The structures, installed by Van Oord's vessel Nexus, contain approximately 3,600 adult European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) and thousands of juvenile oysters, known as spat, which could establish a new source of larvae in the offshore environment, according to the Ecowende joint venture between Shell, Eneco and Chubu Electric Power.
The developer said the species was once widespread in the North Sea but has largely disappeared because of overfishing, seabed disturbance, and disease, and that a lack of oyster larvae offshore is one barrier to its recovery.
The hubs, which provide stable, elevated habitats where oysters can grow and reproduce, incorporate specially selected calcareous rock that can increase oyster settlement success by around 33 per cent, according to research cited by Ecowende.
The developer will monitor larval production and dispersal around the structures over the coming years to assess whether they can help reconnect isolated oyster habitats across the North Sea. Oyster reefs can also provide habitat and shelter for other marine species, supporting wider biodiversity, according to the joint venture.
Ecowende and Van Oord announced their cooperation on oyster hubs and tree reefs in February 2025. The initiative forms part of the wider programme to incorporate nature-inclusive measures into the Dutch offshore wind farm, including underwater habitats and measures to reduce impacts on birds and marine life.
The oyster hub installation comes as construction of the wind farm nears completion. Ecowende reported on 2 November that all 52 Vestas V236-15.0 MW turbines had been installed at the site, located approximately 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast near IJmuiden.
The project delivered its first power to the Dutch grid in July and is expected to be fully commissioned by the end of 2026.