The project seeks to provide an alternative by recycling mussel shells while bolstering marine life.
Turning tons of organic waste into new underwater homes, the western province of İzmir’s shell-based artificial reef project has recently welcomed its first documented resident: A nesting octopus.
Izmir-based entrepreneur Nermin Sena Özger is transforming discarded mussel shells into artificial reefs, combining her passion for the sea with industrial design to both recycle waste and create new habitats for marine creatures.
Özger, a diving instructor, industrial designer and entrepreneur who grew up surrounded by the sea in Foça, began exploring ways to improve underwater experiences during her master’s studies at İzmir University of Economics, which she completed in 2019.
During her doctoral studies at Yaşar University, completed in 2026, Özger focused on the potential use of discarded mussel shells in artificial reefs as part of her project titled “Towards Symbiocentric Artificial Reef Design: An Application-Based Study Through Bioreef.”
She established a company at Technopark İzmir within İzmir Institute of Technology and developed the project with support from TÜBİTAK’s Individual Young Entrepreneur Program and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP).
Özger began collecting discarded shells from stuffed mussel businesses and processing facilities operated by companies exporting mussels.
In the first stage, she upcycled about 3 tons of mussel shells and produced four artificial reef prototypes. The prototypes were purchased by İZDENİZ, a subsidiary of İzmir Municipality, and placed in Telgraf Bay in the Sığacık neighborhood of Seferihisar.
The reefs are regularly inspected through monitoring dives to assess their contribution to the marine ecosystem.
Özger said she realized while working on artificial reef designs that mussel shells could be transformed into a material capable of withstanding underwater conditions.
More than 40 tons of mussel shells are estimated to be discarded every month in the Aegean region, she said.
“We focused on mussel shells by bringing together the idea of reducing this 40 tons of waste while transforming it into habitats, and potentially turning these habitats into tourism attractions. In other words, we wanted to return to the sea what comes from the local sea,” Özger said.
Artificial reefs are generally made of concrete around the world. Özger said her project seeks to provide an alternative by recycling mussel shells while supporting marine ecosystems.
She said the team had observed that life began forming on the shell-based reefs faster than on conventional concrete reefs.
“Compared with reefs made of cement, which is normally their main competitor, the most striking point about our prototypes is that life begins on them more quickly. In particular, algae and other plant life forms develop faster,” she said.
According to Özger, the growth of algae subsequently attracts other marine species to the reefs.
During a recent monitoring dive, the team made an unexpected discovery: An octopus had settled inside one of the reef structures.
“This was a very encouraging development during our monitoring dive today. For the first time, we saw an octopus inside one of the shelters in our prototypes. This is actually a historic turning point for us.
The octopus had decorated the shelter, and there were clear signs that it had genuinely settled there,” Özger said.
The team has also observed small fish using the reefs as shelter and protection.
“We witnessed Black Sea bream, Gün and Gelin fish using the reefs around them like a shield. We recorded these moments in video and photographs. This is a very joyful and hopeful development for us,” she said.
As part of the TÜBİTAK project, Özger said 35 more reefs would be installed at Telgraf Bay.
The project aims not only to reduce waste but also to turn the area into a new attraction for divers and underwater photographers.
