Cover Letter to Assessment Manager

Officer Name: Cherie O'Sullivan

as NOOSA COUNCIL oe lel [email protected]
ECOSUN RS

CRM No:

11 January 2017

Development Assessment Team
PO Box 141
Tewantin QLD 4565

Dear Sir/Madam,

RE: APPLICATION FOR OPERATIONAL WORKS APPROVAL FOR PRESCRIBED TIDAL
WORKS AND WORKS IN A DECLARED FISH HABITAT AREA

Noosa Shire Council, in conjunction with Noosa Parks Association and the University of the Sunshine
Coast provide herewith an application seeking Operational Works Approval for Prescribed Tidal Works
and Works within a Declared Fish Habitat Area at 15 sites throughout the Noosa River.

The Operational Works approval is to enable a fisheries habitat restoration project to proceed. The
technical details regarding the design of the project have been co-ordinated by the University of the
Sunshine Coast Science team which consists of Professor Thomas Schlacher , Dr Ben Gilby, and Dr
Andrew Olds who between them share 50 years of research experience on fish ecology and coastal
habitat management. The science team are listed as authors of 108, 16 and 35 peer reviewed journal
articles respectively.

Studies referred to throughout this application have identified that oyster reefs used to exist throughout
the Noosa River prior to anthropogenic influences. These oyster reefs were removed prior to 1960's via
dredging. More recent studies have found that oyster spat still exist in the water column, and that oyster
spat recruitment does occur when suitable surfaces for the oyster spat recruitment are provided.
Following the extreme anthropogenic impacts to natural oyster reefs in the Noosa River, Oyster Reef
Restoration Units have been designed to provide suitable surfaces to facilitate natural recruitment of
oyster spat. These units are designed to create habitats reflective of natural morphology which no
longer exist within the river. The absence of such suitable surfaces reduce the availability and diversity
of the habitat mosaic that existed in Noosa River prior to human impacts.

Worldwide research has found that the most suitable surface for oysters to recruit on are other oyster
shells located between Lowest Astronomical Tide and Highest Astronomical Tide. Following from the
research findings, the proposal subject of this application is to install oyster shell substrate at 15 sites
throughout the Noosa River to facilitate for the oyster spat to naturally recruit, cement oyster shell
together and restore oyster reef habitat. The intention of the project is to assist where feasible to meet
the Noosa Plan Environmental Sector Vision which states:

“The Noosa Community has a commitment to environmental excellence and sustainability. The impact
of human settlement has been minimised. We manage, maintain, restore and preserve our natural
environment.”

The locations for installation of the oyster reef restoration units have been selected by scientists and
engineers whose expertise are in the field of coastal ecology, to maximise the likelihood of oyster spat
recruitment whilst avoiding interference with recreational and commercial users of the river.

 

 

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qId.g L

NOOSA COUNCIL PO Box 141

TEWANTIN QLD 4565

  

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