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

    Detailed designs for proposed oyster
    ecosystem restoration sites in the
    Noosa estuary

    Background                                                     Proposed locations
    For the last 18 months, The Nature Conservancy (TNC)            •   Four locations have been selected as oyster
    has been working alongside community members, local                 ecosystem restoration sites after extensive
    indigenous elders, hydrographic surveyors, marine                   community feedback, scientific analysis and
    ecologists, coastal engineers and government agencies to            government input. These sites are Tewantin, Goat
    select the most appropriate sites and reef designs for the          Island, Noosa Sound East and Noosa Sound West.
    restoration of oyster ecosystems in the Noosa River             •   We anticipate that up to half of the restoration work
    estuary.                                                            will be completed this summer (2021-2022) at two
    The location, shape and size of oyster reef patches,                sites, likely at Tewantin and Goat Island, with the
    displayed in the figures below, were designed to give the           remaining work to be completed the following
    best environmental outcome. The locations were                      spring/summer (2022-2023) at the Noosa Sound
    specifically selected to ensure public access, public safety        sites.
    and to provide education, fishing, recreation and water-        •   The four restoration sites were selected as those
    based tourism opportunities.                                        that optimise ecological, engineering, public safety
                                                                        and river access requirements.
    The reef patch designs meet strict regulatory
    government requirements relating to stability, erosion          •   The oyster ecosystem recovery process will take
    minimisation, maintenance of fish passage, restoration of           about five years, that is, from when the oyster reef
    a degraded ecosystems and fish habitats, protection of              patches are laid in the river, until these patches are
    marine plants and benefits to fisheries.                            encrusted with oysters, other marine invertebrates
                                                                        and plant life.




       © Francisco Martinez-Baena




2                                                                                         The Nature Conservancy Australia