New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced that the restoration of oyster reef habitats near the Mario Cuomo Bridge in the lower Hudson Valley has been completed.
Cuomo says more than 400 oyster reef structures have been placed in the Hudson River near the bridge as part of the state's commitment to re-establish a wild oyster population. The new oyster reef system covers more than five acres. Cages were filled with empty oyster shells donated by more than 70 New York City restaurants and then placed on the river bed along with concrete reef balls, to promote the settlement of larval oysters and the growth of oyster reef habitat. The Thruway Authority will monitor the cages and reef balls through 2020 to measure oyster population growth, survival and water quality.
