Push to stop shellfish reef being removed

A three-year shellfish reef trial in Pumicestone Passage will come to an end later this year but there are calls to extend the trial.

Experts fear shellfish reef restoration projects in Moreton Bay are stagnating. Photo . supplied.

Pumicestone researchers involved in a three-year shellfish reef trial in the Passage and the local State MP are calling for the State Government to scrap plans to remove the reef and for the trial to be extended.

Restore Pumicestone Passage spokesman Dr Ben Diggles said “shellfish reef restoration is stagnating in Moreton Bay in Queensland with marine park authorities actually requesting withdrawal of all other existing proposal to restore lost reefs, except for the trial in Pumicestone Passage, which they may still need to be removed once the trial is completed”.

A Department of Environment and Science (DES) spokeswoman confirmed the trial concluded at the end of 2020 and “as with any research project in the Moreton Bay Marine Park, the structures must be removed at the conclusion of the trial”.

The spokeswoman said DES was “supportive of the shellfish reef restoration and research trial by Healthy Land and Water in Pumicestone Passage and approved a three-year research permit in 2018”.

Bribie Island marine biologist Ben Diggles. Picture supplied.

Pumicestone Passage MP Simone Wilson said the threat to pull out the “successful trial reefs” even when “they have been shown to increase local fish stocks between 3 and 10 times over what used to be there” was a misguided.

Ms Wilson said the legislation was being used to prevent “positive projects such as reef restoration” from continuing.

“I’m being told that Queensland Marine Parks are telling groups to withdraw restoration project applications and telling others to pull their reefs out once their research permit expires,” Ms Wilson said.

“We have very successful shellfish reef restoration trials happening in the Pumicestone Passage but when the research permit expires later this year, if an extension isn’t granted the reefs will need to be pulled out.”

“Many locals want to be part of caring for our waterways and they’ve stepped up to be part of research projects to restore what was once a thriving marine environment.”

Ben Diggles (Digfish Services), former Cr Gary Parsons and Rob King (Sunfish) at Sandstone Point with shellfish and an artificial “reef ball”, which Shellfish grow on. Photo supplied.

Ms Wilson said given the environmental and socio-economic success of similar projects elsewhere throughout Australia and overseas, the State Labor Government’s moratorium on shellfish reef restoration in Moreton Bay is an embarrassment to our State.

The DES spokeswoman said the Department had provided advice to Healthy Land and Water about the introduction of artificial reef materials or a functioning shellfish reef as a permanent part of the marine park.

“DES is establishing a working group of oyster reef restoration experts to advise the department and First Nations peoples on a strategic approach to shellfish reef restoration in the Moreton Bay Marine Park,” the spokeswoman said.