Ecosystem Restoration: Enhancing Ecosystem Services with Floating Aquaculture

Abstract

Restoration ecologists recognize the need for restoring ecosystem servicesin sustainable ways that meet societal needs. In the UK, Ireland, Australia,and some US states the goal is restoring native oyster reefs. In otherstates, failures at restoration due to poor water quality and predation havefocused restoration activities on techniques that work, restoring intertidalreefs and generating living shorelines that reduce or reverse erosion. In theUnited States, restoring water quality and reducing or reversing erosion aresocietally accepted entry points for repairing estuarine ecosystems. Thisstudy is an overview of the current status of oyster reef restoration andprovide a novel approach called “oyster reef in a bag”. Combining oysterreef restoration efforts with existing floating oyster aquaculture technologygenerates novel ecosystems that are a combination of biofouling and oysterreef communities. These novel ecosystems could be a practical beginningto improve water quality, mitigate erosion and restore higher trophic levelecosystem services.