Building A Future For Native Oysters

Working with conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation, the Brett Aggregates team at Portsmouth organised barge deliveries of a specially blended material to a new one-hectare oyster reef – a major marine restoration project in Chichester Harbour.

Over 1,900 tonnes of a gravel and cockleshell mix has been provided to support the re-establishment of native oyster populations. As well as reintroducing oysters to the area, this project is the first time barges have operated from the Portsmouth site since it opened in 2023.

This marine restoration project marked the first time aggregates have departed Brett Aggregates' Portsmouth Wharf by barge 

The material has been used to form the reef’s foundations, creating the stable conditions needed for oysters to settle and grow. Oyster reefs are an important part of marine ecosystems, with oysters acting as natural ‘engineers’ that filter water and create habitats for a wide range of marine life.

On land, the Portsmouth team made several adjustments to accommodate the cockleshell, including setting aside dedicated storage space for the volumes required, as well as bringing in an excavator with the reach needed to load barges from the quay.

An excavator was brought in to load the barges from the quay

Ben Johnson, Operations Manager – South Coast at Brett Aggregates, said: “It’s a good example of how our team can adapt to the requirements of a project like this, and using barge transport from Portsmouth Wharf adds another dimension to what we’re able to offer our customers.”

Barny Hobbs, Solent Seascape Project Officer at Blue Marine Foundation, commented: “This is the largest native oyster restoration project we’ve undertaken as part of the Solent Seascape Project, an initiative that aims to restore and protect marine and coastal habitats across the Solent, and will deliver long-term benefits for the harbour and wider marine life.

“The reef requires the right combination of materials and careful placement in a sensitive site. Working with a local supplier that could support both was important to us, and Brett Aggregates’ ability to deliver by water from Portsmouth made the process much more straightforward.”

Once re-established on the harbour floor, Chichester's native oyster population will help to provide long-term benefits for marine life.

Ben added: “It was a pleasure to work with Barny and the team at Blue Marine Foundation, and to be involved in a positive project that supports the long-term health of the local marine environment.”