Restoring the mighty tees at the Port of Middlesbrough
A major step forward in restoring the River Tees’ natural heritage is underway this week at the Port of Middlesbrough, as Tees Rivers Trust and AV Dawson complete the installation of the first native oyster hoist nursery in the main river.
The native oyster nursery at the Port of Middlesbrough will be monitored on a monthly basis, with hopes that the oysters will flourish in their new home and begin breeding as early as next summer. This installation marks an important first step in testing how well the oysters acclimatise to the river and forms part of a wider plan to establish an oyster reef in the estuary - reintroducing native oysters to the Tees for the first time in over 100 years.
AV Dawson’s Business Compliance and Sustainability Manager Peter Athey said:
“We’re proud to support the installation of the oyster hotels here at the Port of Middlesbrough. It’s a fantastic example of how industry and environmental partners can work together to deliver meaningful, positive change. Initiatives like this play an important role in enhancing biodiversity and improving water quality in the River Tees.
As a business, sustainability is central to our long-term strategy and projects like this directly support our ESG commitments by helping to protect and restore the natural environment while ensuring we operate responsibly for future generations.”
The nursery will be closely monitored to track the oysters’ progress, with early expectations that they will successfully settle and thrive. The installation at the Port of Middlesbrough signals a new chapter in the recovery of the River Tees, bringing together environmental science, industry partnership and community ambition to help restore a thriving natural ecosystem.
Ben Lamb, CEO of Tees Rivers Trust said:
“These oysters are true ecosystem engineers. Each oyster can filter up to 200 litres of water per day, improving water quality and supporting a healthier, more diverse river environment.”
Beyond water filtration, the project is already demonstrating wider ecological benefits. Monitoring of the Trust’s existing oyster nursery at Hartlepool Docks has shown that oyster structures quickly become vibrant habitats, providing shelter for small fish and crustaceans."
Tees Rivers Trust has been working across the Tees since 2009, taking a whole catchment approach by engaging communities, individuals, businesses and stakeholders to improve water quality and increase biodiversity from source to sea. Since expanding work into the estuary in 2016, the Trust has created new intertidal habitats along the post-industrial riverbank and established the UK’s third seagrass and native oyster breeding nursery—with the ambition to grow seagrass and oysters on site to help restore lost species to the River Tees.