Oysters feared lost in the Mar Menor have been found alive on Barón Island, two weeks after their disappearance.

The baskets were discovered by Gonzalo Quijano and his grandsons, Álvaro and Javier, who own the island and had returned for Easter. While walking along the shoreline, they spotted the baskets buried among algae and biomass. Despite their time adrift, the oysters were still intact.

Marina Albentosa, coordinator of the RemediOS project, confirmed that the shellfish were alive when her team and members of conservation group ANSE examined them. She said it was “amazing” they had survived, explaining that oysters can remain alive for long periods when closed.

The oysters were the first generation of the species born in captivity in 2022 as part of a scientific consortium, representing years of work and significant investment. The working theory is that the rope attaching the baskets to a buoy was accidentally cut after snagging on something sharp, although deliberate interference has not been ruled out. Two complaints had already been filed with the Guardia Civil by the IEO and the Ministry of the Environment.