2015-10-13 Planning & Organisation Agenda Attachment 1 to Item 7 Oyster Recruitment Assessment Report

            Increasing biodiversity by providing a greater variety of habitats available
             (particularly hard surfaces), and therefore increasing settlement opportunities for
             a range of species with larvae currently present in the water column, but that are
             excluded from recruiting into the estuary due to a lack of suitable habitat.
            Provision of a shoreline buffer for erosion protection from boat wake –
             engineered structures such as oyster reefs can provide a useful mechanism to
             buffer against erosion from boat wake and exclude some vessels from a section
             of habitat by creating a physical barrier.
            Increased fisheries resources through habitat provision for various species.
             Although, further investigations would be necessary to determine if the reefs can
             provide a source of production rather than just an aggregation device for existing
             species, and the impact of improving habitat availability for predators in the
             system that have previously been excluded or remain in lower numbers due to
             the limited availability of habitat




Restoration of Noosa Estuary: An Assessment of Oyster Recruitment                              19