Start building your reef today!

Everybody knows about beautiful coral reefs in tropical seas, but reefs also belong in colder waters. These 'reefs' are mainly formed by shellfish, like oysters. Shellfish reefs are nurseries and safe resting areas for various fish species. The reefs enhance biodiversity, by providing a home for many animals and plants. They even ensure better water quality as they filter water!

By building this reef, you create a shellfish home, because reef builing shellfish, like mussels and oysters, need other shells to settle on. After the reef has formed, many other reef inhabitants will follow.

Your tiny reef gives shellfish a place to settle, grow and eventually they will provide a home for other species like fish!

Did you know?

It is estimated that around 85% of the natural shellfish reefs have been lost since 1883.

The reasons behind the decrease in shellfish reefs, is the increase in fisheries and the technology that came with it. Take for instance bottom trawling; large heavy nets which are dragged over the seafloor, very efficient for fisheries. It generates large quantities of products in one go, but it also destroys everything else on the seafloor. On top of these anthropogenic factors, shellfish have been facing diseases which affect the populations as well.

With the loss of shellfish reefs, a lot of important ecosystem functions are lost as well. Shellfish reefs provide food and shelter for many animals and plants. And are incredible water filterers.

An adult oyster filters a bathtub of water every day!

How do you contribute to shellfish reef restoration?

With the BESE-tiny reefs you will contribute to restoration of shellfish reefs in your seas! The package contains BESE-reef paste and oyster shells, to build a tiny reef at home. When your reef is finished you can contact the BESE-team for outplacement.
Outplacement of the reefs is done in areas suited for shellfish reef restoration. The tiny reefs will attract shellfish, like oyster larvae, to settle down and form a new reef.

All these tiny reefs combined will form large reefs to restore the biodiversity in our seas!

Updates on the reef will be shared on our website and social media channels.

Enough reasons to use your creative skills to make your own contribution to shellfish reef restoration!

How to order?

If you want to contribute to the restoration of shellfish reefs, you should fill in the form below including your company's name and the amount of participants who would like to join!
The DIY boxes will be sent to you as soon as possible and we keep in contact about the outplacement possibilities.