2020-07-07 P&E Agenda - Item 3 - Attachment 1 - TNC Project Management Plan

units, comprised of shell enclosed in coir netting, were set at 14 sites throughout the estuary and the settlement,
growth and use patterns of river organisms interacting with these units were measures and analysed.

In phase II, the project will apply successful restoration methodologies accredited by the Society for Ecological
Restoration (SER). The project will deploy into two carefully selected sites in the river composite of locally sourced
rock rubble, mixed, in part with dried oyster shell. This substrate will be laid in carefully designed configurations
to maximise it’s potential to recruit oysters naturally and promote oyster survivability. These two sites will be
carefully monitored and evaluated before phase III commences.

In phase III, after analysis of the construction, ecological and social successes and challenges experienced in phase
II, additional substrate will be deployed at the same and/or additional sites in the estuary, as suitable deployment
sites, and community will, allow. This MER Plan is focused primarily on the delivery of Phase II, with refinements
to be added for adoption in Phase III.

More detail about each phase is presented below:

Phase I (2018-2020)
Phase I was delivered by the University of the Sunshine Coast. It entailed a three-year study which installed 14
trial ‘reef’ units consisting of coir bags filled with oyster shell at sites throughout the estuary. The project studied
the structural integrity, oyster recruitment, fish and invertebrate community assemblages and human
interactions with the structures. This project collected important ecological information that will support Phases
II and III – this project.




55 | Bring Back the Fish MER plan 2020 – 2022