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

                 SECTION 7 – SIGNAGE + AIDS TO NAVIGATION
                 TNC proposes the installation of moderate signage and essential aids to navigation. To improve visual
                 amenity, the signs may be placed on top of navigation markers, rather than being standalone signs on
                 pole structures. TNC is working with MSQ to refine signage for each site and possibly at boat ramps.

                 If independent signposts are installed, they would be erected in bare sediment close to the oyster reef
                 patches. Moorings for any buoys used for navigation purposes would also be places onto bare sediment
                 but close to the oyster reef patches. Signage is suggested as per the specifications given (see Figures
                 7.1 and 7.2) but we would prefer smaller signage, if agreeable to MSQ and other agencies. The size of
                 the signs given here can be amended.

                 Navigation aids will not impact on tidal fish habitats or marine plant communities and will be positioned
                 or configured to avoid the risk of trimming of marine plants e.g., seagrasses.

                 The suggested wording for signage includes text for restoration sites inside and outside of the declared
                 fish habitat areas. The wording of the signage; however, could be more ‘public friendly’ and if
                 permitted, will design this in contact with local MSQ, DAF and NSC offices. The signage also does not
                 have to be Noosa Councils specific.

                 The suggested signage includes a recommendation for the public not to consume oysters from the
                 restoration sites. While it is legal to eat wild oysters, some oysters on the restoration sites will be
                 derived from oyster culture and oyster gardening. These oysters will not settle naturally on the site and
                 may be selected by the public for consumption. Human consumption of these oysters introduces
                 increased risk to TNC, as the project lead. Appropriate signage can reduce the risk to consumers while
                 also limiting TNC’s liabilities associated with food poisoning from eating contaminated oysters.
                 Reducing losses of oysters from the restoration sites, due to collection, is an additional benefit.

                 The signage suggested here has been engineered and is RPEQ certified (Registered Professional
                 Engineer of Queensland) and the certification presented in Figure 7.3. The signs are re-purposed from
                 the previous Noosa Oyster Restoration Trial Project implemented between 2016-2020 by the University
                 of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation (NBRF). The signs were removed
                 from the Noosa River in 2020, as per permit conditions for that project, and gifted to TNC for use in this
                 project.

                 Two of these signs have already been repurposed to mark the oyster shell curing site at Doonan Solid
                 Waste Depot (refer to Section 6, Figure 6.3). The signboards, brackets and poles are in near new
                 condition and will not be modified in any way part from changing the wording as per permit conditions.
                 The poles will be cleaned of any lose material and disinfected prior to re-deployment. The signboards
                 and brackets have been stored well and are in clean and good working order.

                 TNC may also place temporary signage at boat ramps, at least during the construction phase, to better
                 inform river users of the construction activity being undertaken.

                 TNC proposes the use of SL – B600 marker buoys (Figure 7.4) as suggested by MSQ as the appropriate
                 aid to navigation (underwater obstruction). One buoy may be placed at each end of a restoration site,
                 and in the middle, but this will be confirmed formally with local MSQ prior to aid selection and
                 deployment.



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