The recovery of the flat oysters is crucial for a resilient and climate-proof North Sea. The Remote Setting project uses a technique in which millions of oyster larvae are first cultivated and then transported to a location on the coast. At this location, containers filled with stones and other hard substrates are ready and waiting for the larvae to be released. Within a few days, the larvae attach themselves to the hard material and develop into young oysters. The stones are then removed from the containers and placed in the sea, where the oysters form new reefs.
Placing substrate in the sea with young oysters on it is a sustainable way to stimulate new reefs. Because the oysters attach themselves to each other and to the substrate, they allow the reef to grow naturally. To further support this settlement process, we are investigating the influence of reef sounds and whether flat oysters use artificial sounds to find a suitable location. If this proves to be the case, these sounds can be used to increase the chances of successful settlement.
“With this method, we don’t need to harvest mature oysters from the wild. We work with larvae that attach themselves to stones, allowing us to release large numbers in a short period of time. This makes transport much easier and offers the opportunity to restore oyster reefs on a large scale.”
Pauline Kamermans, Wageningen University & Research
This project is a unique collaboration between nine partners, each contributing their expertise: Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University, ARK Rewilding Netherlands, Stichting Zeeschelp, Waardenburg Ecology, Van Oord’s Ocean Health initiative, TenneT, Port of Rotterdam Authority, and The Rich North Sea. For three years, this consortium of companies, knowledge institutions, and nature organizations will work together to further develop the remote setting method.
The research focuses on the development and validation of a new remote setting technique. A technique that, if successful, can be scaled up along the entire Dutch coast. At the beginning of 2025, the first larvae from the hatcheries were transported to locations where they were released into specially designed containers. The containers were filled with seawater and a type of stone typical of the North Sea. Within a few days, the larvae attached themselves to the stones.
In September 2025, a second step followed: the release of the substrate with the young oysters in the port of Rotterdam. This relatively sheltered environment, without strong influences from shipping, makes it possible to study the placement and later relocation of the substrate.
“What makes this project special is the collaboration with so many different organizations. Each party contributes its own specific knowledge. For example, the major industry plays a crucial role in making the project work on a large scale. At the same time, we need science and other knowledge partners to pool new insights and translate them into promising projects.”
The Rich North Sea actively contributes the knowledge and insights it has accumulated. In our role as a connector, we share the project results with our partners and collect all experiences in the Toolbox. In this way, we make the lessons learned accessible and applicable to a wider range of people.
