2022-05-16 GC Agenda - Item 7 - Attachment 2 - Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration Project - Project Restoration Plan

                 5.5 Oyster cultch

                 Seeded and unseeded oyster cultch will be added to the rock substrates in volumes up to 10 kilograms
                 of cultch per metre square of rock substrate as per the specifications. The cultch will be interlocked
                 with rock by hand-placing the cultch into voids to minimise displacement. Oyster shell that is displaced
                 more than 5m from a restoration site, is to be removed in the event that it is resulting in negative
                 impacts.

                 If displaced oyster shell extends more than 5 metres beyond the drawn restoration site, and results in
                 negative impacts to the environment, the displaced shell will be collected by hand, removed from the
                 estuary, or reinstated on the restoration substrate (structure). Shell movement will be monitored six-
                 monthly using visual observation. The risk of shell displacement will reduce over time as the natural
                 oyster bed develops (see Annex 7: Engineering Specifications, Rectifications Table, as provided by ICM
                 engineers).

                 5.6 Hatchery

                 Oyster cultch will be seeded with oyster spat at the Bribie Island Research Centre (BIRC). The cultch will
                 be sourced exclusively from the project shell curing site and oyster brood stock from the Noosa River.

                 The hatchery will be responsible for spawning the oysters and seeding the shell cultch with oyster larvae
                 in ponds configured under controlled hatchery conditions. The hatchery will follow all required
                 environmental and biosecurity protocols and will liaise with government biosecurity offers to confirm
                 those protocols.

                 TNC will be responsible for preparing and supplying the cultch to the hatchery, collecting brood stock
                 from the Noosa River and for the use of the seeded cultch in oyster gardening and deployment onto
                 the restoration substrates in accordance with the conditions of a General Fisheries Permit secured for
                 that purpose.

                 TNC is currently negotiating with the BIRC to provide hatchery services under contract to TNC.

                 5.7 Oyster gardening

                 The project plans to use oyster gardening to further augment the oyster restoration process and to
                 engage with the local Noosa community. In oyster gardening, seeded oyster cultch is supplied by the
                 project to local jetty owners and interest groups, who then grow the oysters in oyster baskets, which
                 are suspended from docks and jetties in the Noosa River.

                 Once the oysters reach a sufficient size, to minimise losses due to predation, the project will remove
                 the oysters and cultch from the oyster gardens and hand place the oysters and settlement cultch into
                 voids in the restoration substrate.

                 Oyster gardening will be a community-led project, with oversight from TNC, and occur under the
                 conditions of a General Fisheries Permit secured for that purpose.

                 TNC has engaged local group the Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) to help coordinate
                 oyster gardening. The project is already oversubscribed with local jetty owners wishing to be involved
                 in the project (once a permit is secured). Our other partners, Noosa Environmental Education Hub
                 (EEHub) and Noosa Community Biosphere Association (NCBA) who are engaging with local schools and

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Document Set ID: 21802641
Version: 1, Version Date: 31/01/2022