Restoration Forth Oyster Biosecurity

We are delighted to invite you to join us in the preparation of European flat oysters to be reintroduced to the Firth of Forth as part of the Restoration Forth project. These oysters are contributing to the restoration of European flat oysters in the Firth of Forth for the first time in 100 years!

The oysters will have previously been collected by the team from the west coast of Scotland. We are inviting you to get involved in the biosecurity processes of oysters necessary for their movement to a restoration site and to join with lots of learning along the way.

This event is only suitable for 18 year olds and over and not recommended for anyone with a shellfish or seafood allergy or repetitive strain injury- please see the important information at the end and get in touch if you have any questions.

Where

· Please meet us at Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, Car Park A, for 9:45am. There will be a 10 minute walk from the car park to where we will be carrying out the oyster processing. More details will be shared in your pre-event pack.

· Free parking is available in Car Park A (what3words: varieties.splice.office) and regular buses are available from City of Edinburgh to campus.

About biosecurity

When moving a species between two parts of the country, we have to prevent the spread of invasive species and disease, this is referred to as biosecurity. As part of the Restoration Forth project we are moving oysters from our donor site on the west coast of Scotland to the Firth of Forth. To reduce the risk of accidently transferring any invasive species or disease between these locations we implement a rigorous biosecurity cleaning process.

During this training you will gain practical hands-on experience in implementing the biosecurity protocols. The biosecurity protocol includes the screening and removal of any attached plants and animals (E.g. barnacles, sponge, seaweed) which pose a contamination risk both at the collection site and at Heriot Watt University campus. Once checked and cleaned the oysters undergo surface sterilisation before being sorted and counted then placed into clean aquarium tanks where they can ‘flush-out’ in clean water for a minimum of five days before they are released into the Firth of Forth.

About this event

Meet for 9:45am at Car Park A. We will start the event with a tour of our oyster facilities and will provide you with the relevant PPE and equipment. This will be followed by practical biosecurity training where we will process the oysters through our biosecurity procedures. There will be the opportunity to speak to the project team about the oyster restoration work.

Important Information

We will be working outside during the practical session so please wear clothes which you are comfortable and warm in, jumpers, hats, gloves, scarfs etc. and with the possibility of rain please also bring waterproofs. Personal protective equipment will be provided such as work gloves and goggles, but please wear warm comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting mucky and waterproof footwear.

The process of removing attached animals, such as barnacles and worms, from the oysters and cleaning them can involve repetitive movement and the possibility of working in unfavourable weather conditions so please be aware of this when signing up. Please also be aware that this process involves the removal and killing of those attached animals so this activity may not be suitable for everyone.

This event will require long periods of standing at tables while we process the oysters. Please let us know about any accessibility needs, such as requiring a seat, when completing the post booking questionnaire.

As the event will be physical, we will be sending out paperwork before hand to capture any medical details we need to know about you. We would not advise taking part in this activity if you have a shellfish or seafood allergy or a severe repetitive strain injury.

Due to the nature of the project and the complexities of boats and tides involved in transporting oysters, it is possible that this event may need to be postponed at short notice. Please keep an eye on your emails in the lead up to the event for any updates from us. If we have to postpone this will be done at least two days before the event.

If you have any questions or want to discuss accessibility arrangements, please don’t hesitate to contact us at: caitlin.godfrey@mcsuk.org

We have limited spaces available on this activity so please cancel your ticket if you are no longer able to attend so that the space can be used by someone else.

These events are aimed at members of the community. If you are a corporate group and are interested in taking part in volunteering on the project then please get in touch with Caitlin at the email address above.

Who we are

Restoration Forth is a major marine restoration programme working with communities to restore seagrass habitats and European flat oyster populations in the Firth of Forth. Our goal is to inspire and give agency to community members from around the Forth to participate in and lead on restoration activities in the marine environment. Restoration Forth is managed by WWF Scotland but is a partnership of scientific institutions, environmental charities, and community hubs.

The first phase of Restoration Forth (2022-24) was made possible by funding from Aviva, the Moondance Foundation, the ScottishPower Foundation and the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, facilitated by the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund, and managed by NatureScot.

The current phase of Restoration Forth is made possible by funding from Sky and the Cinven Foundation; the project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Photo credit: Maverick Photo Agency