Work complete on Glenelg’s huge $1.2m shellfish reef, which is expected to boost local tourism

Work on a $1.2m native shellfish reef off the coast of Glenelg North is now complete, making it the first reef of its kind in metropolitan Adelaide.

Anita Nedosyko from The Nature Conservancy. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Construction of a $1.2m shellfish reef off Glenelg North is complete, with the site expected to boost local tourism, increase fish stocks and improve water quality.

The Nature Conservancy built the reef, the size of Adelaide Oval, using two million juvenile native flat oysters pre-seeded on to recycled oyster shells.

“The shellfish reef was created laying limestone boulders the size of footballs on to the sea floor using a 2000-tonne barge and an excavator,” The Nature Conservancy marine restoration co-ordinator Anita Nedosyko said. “Scuba divers then spread the … oysters.”

The recreated reef is expected to attract marine life almost immediately. It will “mature” within a decade.

The project was funded by the State Government and Holdfast Bay Council and will take seven to 10 years to reach maturity.”

Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said the project received $1.2m funding from the Marshall Liberal Government and support from the City of Holdfast Bay.

“Shellfish reef habitats are important to the marine environment for fish breeding and water quality, but they can also provide new recreational and economic opportunities to the state,” Minister Speirs said.

“We are building shellfish reefs off Adelaide’s metropolitan coast to benefit the community, natural environment and local economy.”

To allow the reef’s marine life to develop, fishing will be prohibited around the site for 12 months, with the potential for that to be extended.

Minister Speirs said fishing management arrangements were also put in place for the Windara Reef off Yorke Peninsula.

“It’s essential the new reef is protected to allow the limestone that was deployed and the marine life that will utilise the reef to settle and begin to develop for an extended period, to maximise the ecological value of the reef,” Minister Speirs said.

Originally published as Work complete on Glenelg’s huge $1.2m shellfish reef, which is expected to boost local tourism