New York Harbor – Off the shore of Governor’s Island
New York’s Harbor, including the body of water pictured here, used to be the oyster capital of the world!
Looking North at Financial District and Battery Park on the Left from the Governor’s Island Ferry
Governor’s Island, home to the New York Harbor School and Billion Oyster Project headquarters.
Oyster beds were once abundant in the Hudson River Estuary but have been functionally extinct since the early 1900s due to over-harvesting and pollution. Oyster beds offer vital ecosystems by filtering water, providing habitat for other marine organisms (mud crabs, fish, mollusks and more) and protecting our shoreline by weakening strong waves before they reach land. Oysters are crucial to our harbor’s biodiversity and stability.
A batch of oysters from cages off the shore of Governor’s island. They are about to be rinsed and tagged based on the date of when they were sourced, their origins and when they were put into the cages. This way students can check the progress of their growth.
The Billion Oyster Project (BOP) hopes to restore New York Harbor’s oyster beds with the help of volunteers and school children. To learn more about these efforts check out: https://www.billionoysterproject.org/
Besides and beneath these docks are oyster nurseries cared for by Harbor School students, teachers, BOP workers and volunteers.
