The project used live oysters from Ireland and placed four broodstock structures and shell material on the scour protection of four wind turbines. Cultch (shell material) was placed at eight different monopiles.

The broodstock structures were designed especially for this project. To promote the flow of water through the baskets, relevant during periods when biofouling might occur, larger holes were added to the baskets. However, this also opened up the potential for more predators.

Monitoring was done in 2020, 2021, 2023 and will be done in 2028. An ROV survey was performed to take high resolution pictures of the benthic fauna living around the monopiles and Water samples were taken for eDNA analysis and larvae sampling.

The oyster tables were hoisted on board a vessel and samples were taken of oysters (for Bonamia and reproduction analysis), spat collectors were placed and retrieved and marine growth was measured (scrape sample). 200 oysters per table were measured for growth. Oysters were also checked for possible spat settlement.

• Scalability is not a given. A high quantity of structures and oysters may be required to cover a large area, posing a high cost and challenges for procurement, production, and installation.
• Consider other scenarios while monitoring besides finding oysters dead or alive, and what to do in each case.
• Work with partners that bring clearly defined expertise to your project and can be equal sparring companions.
• Include decommissioning in your project from the earliest stage and design.
• Having the same partners for every monitoring campaign is ideal, as repeated handoff and briefing of new partners can pose communication challenges.
• Whenever possible, hire a dedicated point of contact to aid in cross-team communication, and to publish results quickly after reports are complete. This person should be in addition to your project manager and marine ecologist.
• Use monitoring as a multipurpose opportunity. By combining scrape sampling and video monitoring, the Rich North Sea discovered two species new to the Netherlands through this research – the orange pistol shrimp and the Atlantic spider crab.