Overfishing, pollution and changing onshore habits have conspired to nearly wipe out Rhode Island’s wild oysters. But thanks to a joint project by environmentalists and some Rhode Island restaurants named Oysters Gone Wild, the shellfish has hope to reclaim at least some of its former prominence and along with it, return Narragansett Bay to a more pristine state.
The issue matters not so much for the consumers of the mollusks – the supply of cultured oysters has been meeting the need for years.
Rather, having more oyster beds in Narragansett Bay promises to increase the capacity for this natural scrubber of water to work its magic. More beds also create more habitat for other forms of sea life. And the beds can help create a natural first line of defense against shoreline erosion.
The project starts with restaurants saving the shells from the oysters they sell, and instead of dumping in the state landfill, delivering them for seeding operations along the coast. Hopefully, more restaurants can get onboard and show how small measures of ingenuity and will can make a big difference. •