(cw: seafood) Millions of Oysters Were Thrown Into NYC’s Harbor: The Aftermath 10 Years Later

New York Harbor, once home to vast oyster reefs that fed a city, collapsed by 1927 after overharvest and sewage left its waters nearly lifeless. In 2014, students and visionaries launched the Billion Oyster Project, recycling restaurant shells and seeding millions of oysters despite skepticism and strict rules. By 2024, over 130 million oysters now anchor restored reefs, filtering water and supporting marine life - proof that persistence can revive even a seemingly lost ecosystem, though threats and limits remain.