Approximately 20 years ago, more than 500 thousand tons of mollusk shells dumped into the sea off the coast of Florida, USA, turned into a successful ecological project for the restoration of the marine ecosystem years later.
Sea-news.az reports that in 2007, mollusk shells collected from restaurants and seafood processing enterprises were placed in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This step, which faced criticism at the time and was evaluated as turning the ocean into a waste dump, yielded greater positive results than expected over time.
The shells placed on the seabed gradually decomposed, releasing calcium into the water, and beneficial bacteria and microorganisms settled on them. The previously soft and sandy seabed hardened thanks to the shells. This created conditions for young mollusks and oysters to attach to the area and multiply rapidly.
The restored oyster colonies naturally filtered the water, improving its quality and preventing the massive proliferation of harmful algae (red tide). Over time, the area transformed into a favorable natural habitat for various marine life and fish species.
