OzFish is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping the millions of Aussie recreational fishers take control of the health of their rivers, lakes and estuaries and shore up the future of the sport they love.
One of the ways Ozfish help protect fish habitats is through oysters. The Oyster Kilpatrick offers more than just its delicious taste. The OzFish volunteers put in some serious hours collecting, recycling, and setting up new shellfish structures.
- Create an Oyster Shell Recycling Facility
- Collect oyster shell from seafood businesses and restaurants
- Dry these shells in the sun for 4 months to sterilise them and then wash them
- Place this clean shell into 1m x 1m wide x .5m high moulds that can be transported
- Place shell-filled moulds into the oyster lease so that oyster spat (baby oysters) can collect on the shells and grow on each other until they cement all of the shells together and form a clump of oysters called a “Bio Block”
- Leave these “Bio Blocks” on the lease for approximately 1 year until they are fully cemented together and the oysters are strong and healthy enough to survive transportation
- Take the Bio Blocks out of the moulds and return the moulds to the recycling facility for re-use
- Place the Bio Blocks, only containing oyster shell and living shellfish, back into Moreton Bay in areas where they once existed
This project is an essential step toward restoring the oyster reefs of Moreton Bay. The successful implementation of this plan will ultimately bring back hectares of fish habitat and improve the overall water quality and environmental diversity of Moreton Bay.
Remember, if you donate to Ozfish instore at BCF, you can round up your purchase, and every dollar you donate, the legends at BCF match it! Better habitat, better fishing!
For more information about the work, the great people over at OzFish are doing, head to the OzFish website here.
