2015-10-13 Planning & Organisation Agenda Attachment 2 to Item 7 Noosa Estuary and Lakes Restoration Assessment Report

Aims of the assessment
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), with support from The Thomas Foundation (TTF) and the
Noosa Parks Association (NPA) undertook an evaluation of options for restoration and
natural resource management of the Noosa River and Lakes system, and Laguna Bay
(hereafter referred to as Noosa Estuary).
The purpose of this assessment is to allow TTF, NPA, Noosa Shire Council, and TNC to:
i)        Consider options for the future restoration and natural resource management of the
          Noosa Estuary;
ii)       Identify further research needs to support informed decisions about these options.


This report
         Outlines the findings of the assessment.
         Describes the assessment approach.
         Provides an initial recommendation on restoration priorities.
         Proposes key next steps and science needs.
         This report is complementary to a presentation by The Nature Conservancy (Dr Eddie
          Game) and The Thomas Foundation (Rowland Hill) to the Noosa Shire Council on
          November 14, 2014.


Recommendations in brief
The restoration option considered likely to deliver the greatest improvement in the aquatic
biodiversity and fish abundance of Noosa Estuary is recreation of oyster reef habitat. We
considered restoration options as distinct from options that involved the management of
activities within Noosa Estuary, a number of which are described in the report.
Many oyster species naturally form reef structures where large numbers of oysters are
growing on top of the shells of older oysters, forming a consolidated reef (Figure 1). Where
they exist, oyster (and other shellfish) reefs provide critical nursery and feeding grounds for
fish and crab populations, increasing the biodiversity and abundance of aquatic resources in
the surrounding waters1. They also consolidate sediment, improve water quality, and can
increase the productivity of other nearby habitats such as seagrass and mangroves2.
We anticipate that oyster reef restoration would focus on Saccostrea glomerata (Sydney
rock oyster, see Figure 2) as this is the most abundant native oyster in Noosa Estuary. There
is also the possibility that reefs could be developed using may be multi-species including
others that are found in Noosa Estuary such as Isognomon ephippium (Rounded Tooth pearl
oyster, see Figure 3). The reconstruction of Saccostrea glomerata reefs has not to our
knowledge been done before so any attempt to do this in Noosa Estuary would be
somewhat experimental but also of international significance.


1
  Peterson CH, Grabowski JH, Powers SP. 2003. Estimated enhancement of fish production resulting from restoring oyster reef habitat:
Quantitative valuation. Marine Ecology Progress Series 264: 249–264.
2
  Grabowski, J.H., et al., 2012. Economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs. Bioscience 62(10): p. 900-909.

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