Innovation and Ecosystem Restoration through Oyster Fisheries

The EcoOyster project explores how commercial fishing for Pacific oysters can contribute to both environmental restoration and new business opportunities.
The project investigates how a sustainable value chain can be developed – where oyster harvesting becomes a tool for managing this invasive species, while at the same time turning the oysters into a source of nutritious blue food and a raw material for new products.

A new perspective on oysters as a resource

Pacific oysters have spread along large parts of the Swedish west coast, forming dense populations that displace native species. Previous research within IVL’s DynamO project has shown that large-scale removal is costly and difficult to carry out with public funding alone.

EcoOyster now takes the next step by exploring how commercial interests can be part of the solution. The high market and nutritional value of oysters opens up opportunities for circular and economically sustainable management.

From sea to market

In collaboration with partners from the blue food value chain, materials experts and the marine contractor Hamn & Sjö, the project is developing methods for large-scale harvesting using excavators. The work also includes separating the meat from the shells to facilitate handling of the food raw material, and cleaning the shells for reuse as material.

To raise market interest, recipes based on different oyster products from the separation process are being developed. Collaborations with culinary students also provide an opportunity to explore the culinary potential of oysters – and to inspire the next generation of food professionals in sustainable seafood.

Related projects

DynamO – Dynamic managment of Pacific oyster