Monitoring of Port Stephens Oyster Reef Restoration project shows these reefs are already improving water quality and supporting more fish!
Although it takes many years for restored oyster reefs to function the same as a natural oyster reef, in a year since the new reefs were created, they are already filtering water, and helping to improve water quality, at over half the rate of natural oyster reefs!
Fish numbers are up too! Fish abundance has increased by 10% at restoration sites and the number of fish species using the area has increased by 15%.
NSW DPI Fisheries scientists continue to monitor the reefs, so stay tuned for more results.
This restoration project was funded by the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Australian Government’s Reef Builder initiative.
