Yamaha Rightwaters is supporting the Billion Oyster Project, a community effort that has repopulated 75 million juvenile oysters in New York Harbor, proximate to New York City.
Billion Oyster Project works with thousands of volunteers from more than 100 New York City schools across five boroughs. Volunteers have seen increased water visibility and diverse wildlife near 15 reef sites in which the 75 million juvenile oysters are planted.
The project’s mission is to restore one billion bivalves by 2035.
Yamaha is donating a Yamaha V MAX SHO 115 outboard to the non-profit project and the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School to power a Tuff Boat aluminum skiff, used for habitat restoration work and training students in vessel operation and maintenance.
“Oysters are key for the health and sustainability of New York Harbor,” Richard Dorfman, waterfront director, Billion Oyster Project, said in a statement. “Yamaha’s donation will help us continue to operate our fleet as efficiently as possible and allow us to support oyster habitat restoration work with the help of Harbor School students.”
The organization has recycled almost two million pounds of oyster shells from New York City restaurants, using them to help reintroduce spat (young oysters) to the Hudson River, East River and waterways in the New York Harbor estuary.
Working with the Yamaha Marine Technical School Partnership Program, Harbor School students will help install the Yamaha outboard on the project’s Tuff Boat in early 2022.
“Billion Oyster Project and the New York Harbor School have been restoring the marine habitats of one of America’s most historic waterways,” said Martin Peters, division manager, government relations, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “We hope this new outboard will give staff and students the reliable power they need to carry on their mission for many years.
