Blue Marine is leading a long-term project to restore native oyster beds in the Solent and support a sustainable fishery. Overfishing, habitat loss, pollution, and disease have decimated oyster populations, impacting water quality, marine biodiversity, and local fisheries. Native oysters are a priority species in the UK and globally, due to their vital ecosystem services such as water filtration, habitat provision, and nutrient cycling. Once home to Europe’s largest oyster fishery, the Solent saw its fishery collapse in 2013. A 2014 study confirmed restoration is biologically feasible, and Blue Marine’s project aims to revive the ecosystem and public engagement.
The Four Horsemen of the UK Fisheries Policy Apocalypse
The UK has the responsibility, and the policy frameworks available, to provide meaningful and lasting protection to all its marine areas. This includes the government proceeding with and concluding its plans to remove bottom trawling from MPAs, safeguarding the biodiversity and habitats that they were designed to protect.
28 September 2025
