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Adhered oysters can cause complex corrosion of fouled steel structures, with localized crevice corrosion being the most severe. A crevice corrosion model of steel caused by oysters is proposed, showing that oyster secretions can penetrate into the oyster/steel interface and act as a stabilizer of the rust layer, enabling tight attachment and thereby slowing the metal corrosion rate. In contrast, oxygen concentration cells, enriched Cl-, anaerobic bacteria, the presence of organic free radicals and oxidative cross-linking during the curing process of oyster secretions act as localized corrosion accelerators facilitating the crevice corrosion process in the oyster/steel gap. [Display omitted] • Adhered oysters could cause severe localized crevice corrosion of fouled steel structures. • Oyster secretions could act as a stabilizer of the rust layer. • Synergistic effects of fouling and inorganic factors acted as localized corrosion accelerators. • The proliferation of anaerobic bacteria enhanced the corrosion in the crevice. • Oyster influenced marine corrosion model was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]