In 1771 Farlington Marshes were reclaimed from the north of the harbour. Oyster farming began in the harbour around 1820 with winkle and clam cultivation probably starting around much the same time. Production ceased in the 1950s. An attempt at oyster farming in the 1980s soon failed. In 1997 work began to turn the remains into an artificial lagoon. The lagoon which has a small island at the centre has, as planned, become a breeding ground for birds, particularly little terns. During the Second World War the harbour was used as Starfish decoy site to misdirect German bombers. Wildlife The harbour is home to an extensive range of marine and bird life. Fifty species of fish have been found in the harbour. The harbour's bird life is even richer, the harbour hosting a wide range of species some of which are represented by over 10,000 individuals. This is in a large part due to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds acquiring harbour's islands and a number of tidal areas in 1978 and turning them into bird sanctuaries. As a result of the number of birds the harbour as become a popular spot for bird watchers. Seals occasionally appear in the harbour in winter. American hard-shelled clams have been found in the harbour spreading from an initial release site on the lower River Test. The harbour is also home to a population of Sand smelt. On 31 July 2008 a 26-foot (8-metre), 7-tonne northern bottlenose whale was beached on a mudflat in Langstone Harbour. A rescue operation was carried out to try to save the whale off the south coast of England and managed to free the whale from mudflats using a special lifting pontoon but it remained in shallow water. A decision was made to give the whale a lethal injection as a blood test revealed that it was suffering from kidney failure. If the whale swam into deeper water it could take up to two days to die naturally from renal failure. The whale ended up about off course due to its illness. Wrecks There are several boat wrecks in the harbour. One of these is a tug dating from 8 May 1941. The tug named the Irishman was sunk by a magnetic mine and now rests partially submerged at low tide. A slightly older wreck dating from 1926 is a Bucket dredger named the Withern. Of