2021-09-13 GC Agenda - Item 11 - Attachment 1 - Noosa Oyster Project Annual Report 2

Permits
There are four steps in the permitting process for this project:

    1.   Lodgment of a draft project proposal and formal meeting with state agencies
    2.   Formal feedback on the proposal, amendments to proposal and additional assessments and evaluations
    3.   Request for Owners Consent, Resource Allocation Authority (RRA) and General Fisheries Permits (GFPs)
    4.   Request for development approval (DA)

TNC has completed steps 1, 2 and 3 and is awaiting the outcome of step 3, expected by the end of September 2021,
before requesting development approval (step 4). A breakdown of the permitting steps and progress to date is
presented below:

Step 1 – Formal pre-lodgment of restoration submission and meeting with the Queensland State Assessment and
Referral Agency (SARA) - complete

In May 2021, TNC submitted the draft project submission to SARA. In June 2021, TNC and NSC met with SARA and
relevant state agencies, principally the Department of Environment and Science (DES), MSQ and DAF and received
constructive feedback on the draft project submission.

Step 2 – Project Restoration Plan/ Code Assessments / Matters of State Environmental Significance - complete

SARA provided TNC with formal written advice on the draft submission. In the advice, the agencies requested
converting the submission into a restoration plan, and sought further clarifications as to project activities, a series of
minor amendments to the five government code assessments, additional habitat mapping, amendments to the
engineering schematics and six additional assessments of Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES) relating
to the Tewantin and Goat Island restoration sites.

Step 3 – Owners Consent / Resource Allocation Authority / General Fisheries Permits – Applications submitted

TNC has formally submitted the project restoration plan and has made requests to the respective agencies for:

1. Owners Consent – Permission to proceed to a development application. The request was made to the Queensland
Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME). The request is expected to be processed by mid-
September 2021.

2. Resource Allocation Authority (RAA) – Permission to work in the Noosa River Fish Habitat Area. The application was
submitted to DAF. The application is expected to be processed by the end of September 2021.

3. General Fisheries Permits (GFP) – Permission to collect oyster brood stock from the Noosa River, to handle live
oysters for use in restoration works and oyster gardening, and to use oyster shell to construct composite rock/shell
oyster reef patches. The applications were submitted to DAF. The applications are expected to be processed by
October 2021.

Step 4 – Development approval (DA) – application prepared, pending submission

Once Owners Consent and the RAA are secured, TNC will send the documentation to SARA for development approval.
SARA has advised TNC that with Owners Consent and the RRA in hand, the assessment for development approval
would be expedited, and associated assessment costs, which collectively may total over $20,000, will be significantly
lowered. The DA is expected to be processed by the end of October 2021.




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