Ocean’s Unsung Heroes: Exploring the Role of Oysters as Marine Engineers and Anthropogenic Exploitation in The Oyster Catcher by Jo Thomas

Abstract

The world under the sea is an intriguing and mysterious part of nature that holds accountability for multiple marine organisms and their diverse activities influencing and modifying various other activities solidifying their importance in the overall natural bio-diversity. One of the least explored marine creatures is oysters which play a significant role in regulating and balancing the marine ecosystem besides being an exotic element in the global culinary world. This essay analyses Jo Thomas’s The Oyster Catcher illuminating the exploitation of oysters in the culinary industry and under indigenous cultural beliefs, disrupting their role as marine engineers. This analysis is further augmented by the application of niche construction theory, thereby yielding a rich tapestry of insights and illuminating novel findings. Thomas’s narrative serves as a stark reminder of the essentiality of preserving these organisms from these deliberate anthropogenic activities for better and more active functioning of the marine world.