Climate-friendly oysters to be restored in Dublin Bay as yacht clubs agree to host ‘gardens’

Howth Yacht Club, the Royal St George Yacht Club and The National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire have agreed to host a number of “oyster gardens” which will be suspended from their marina pontoons.

This follows the success of similar shellfish “gardens” installed at Dún Laoghaire, Malahide and Poolbeg marinas earlier this year.

Oysters were once fast food for Dubliners in the early 1800s

Oysters were once “fast food” for Dubliners in the early 1800s. Shellfish sellers back then were the equivalent of today’s coffee shop owners, according to diver, sailor and coffee maker David Lawlor.

Oysters are also “climate champions” because of their natural habit of filtering water, and this helps to reduce excess nutrients and pollutants, Mr Lawlor says.

He set up the Green Ocean oyster reintroduction project as a philanthropic enterprise a year ago with the aim of restoring native oysters, like the European flat oyster, throughout Dublin Bay.

When Mr Lawlor and his partner…