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

     Restoration criteria

     Parameter           Envelope         Criteria                     Rationale
                                          (more suitable = 4, less =
                                          0)

     Marine plants       10m – 500m       Areas within 10-500m         Connectivity to other structured habitats such as
     proximity                            buffer =4                    seagrass, mangroves, increases diversity. 10m
     (including                                                        minimum distance used to mitigate damage to marine
                                          All other areas =2
     seagrasses)                                                       plants and 2m from mangroves, aerial mangrove roots
                                                                       and fallen timber, but ensuring connectivity.

     Rocky reef          2m – 500m        Areas within 5-500m          Connectivity to other structured habitats increases
     proximity                            buffer =4                    diversity. 2 metre minimum distance included to
                                                                       mitigate damage to rock substrates while maintaining
                                          All other areas =2
                                                                       connectivity. Direct augmentation of degraded rocky
                                                                       reef by permit only.

     Extant oyster       2m – 250m        Within 2m – 250m = 4         Connectivity to other structured habitats increases
     ecosystems                                                        biodiversity. Connection to other oyster reefs
                                          All other areas = 2
     proximity                                                         increases meta-population connectivity, successful
                                                                       reproduction and oyster recruitment. 2 metre
                                                                       minimum distance included to mitigate damage to
                                                                       extant oyster ecosystems but ensuring connectivity.

     Historical oyster   Within 250m      Within 250m = 4              Sites which have historically supported oyster
     ecosystem                                                         ecosystems are thought to be able to support future
                                          All other areas = 2
     proximity                                                         oyster ecosystems. Restoration takes place on historic
                                                                       oyster ecosystems, which may now be lost, where
                                                                       known and practical.

     Mobile seabed       Exclusion area   Within exclusion area = 0    Highly mobile seabeds generally offer unsuitable
                                                                       substrates for shellfish restoration.
                                          All other areas = 4

     Mangroves           +2m minimum Within exclusion area = 0         Minimum distance of 2m maintained between
     (including          distance                                      intertidal marine plants and oyster ecosystems to
     pneumatophores),                All other areas = 4               protect plants, as well as fallen trees (which are also
     fallen trees and                                                  important habitats) from works associated with
     timber in                                                         oyster ecosystems. Relatively close proximity
     waterways.                                                        maintained to maximise ecological connectivity.


     Small craft         +10m width       Areas within buffer = 0      Minimum channel width of 10m maintained in
     channels            channel                                       constrained river channels so oyster ecosystems do
                         maintained       All other areas = 4          not impede on safe navigation.




10                                                                                        The Nature Conservancy Australia