A Bridge For Eels
Building bridges for critically endangered eels using reclaimed marine waste.
Eel bridges are regenerative, multi-species infrastructures that respond to the decline of the European eel. Critically endangered due to habitat fragmentation, eels are increasingly blocked by dams, weirs, and flood barriers that disrupt their migration between rivers and the Sargasso Sea. As a keystone species, they support nutrient cycling, sediment health, and ecological balance across freshwater and coastal ecosystems. Their loss signals wider ecological collapse.
Existing eel bridges are typically single-function structures made from inert materials with limited ecological value. In response, this project proposes an eel bridge constructed from Molsy, a mollusc-based ceramic made using waste oyster shells and invasive mussel species.
The structure is porous, mineral-rich, and highly textured, supporting biofilm growth, improving water chemistry, and creating microhabitats for aquatic life. Rather than simply mitigating environmental damage, the design actively contributes to ecological repair.
Flo Green
floemilygreen@gmail.com