It is FREE to advertise in these classifieds. Items could include equipment, oysters, businesses or services. Please send details to laura@oceanwatch.org.au or call 0456 935 998. Please limit your description to 100 words or less, and remember to include your contact details & location. You may also include photos with your post.
This section provides a link to the latest information on spat availability. The first link provides an update on the latest hatchery runs. For more information about spat availability, prices and ordering please contact the hatcheries and nurseries directly. The second link provides access to a directory of NSW wild caught spat suppliers. To update or add your details to this directory please contact Laura Stoltenberg (0456 935 998 /laura@oceanwatch.org.au)
NSW DPI Outstanding Service Awards
Awards were issued at the Batemans Bay NSW Oyster Conference to: Bruce Alford, Todd Graham, Mark Hunter, Mike Dove and Steve McOrrie for outstanding service to the NSW oyster industry.
Protecting historic rock cultivation – As an action arising from Shellfish Committee, DPI has identified historic cultivation in the Georges River and Clyde River. DPI is now seeking a way to protect these heritage areas.
Carbon neutral shellfish industry – Shellfish Committee has supported an approach to consider carbon accreditation in the NSW oyster industry. NSW Farmers has lodged a Sector Development Grant to support a number of NSW businesses going through the audit process.
2021 Sector Development Grants – six projects worth a total of $4.7M were submitted for approval under the 2021 Storm Flood Industry Recovery Program with advice pending on approval. The projects cover estuary dye testing for pollution modelling, recycling, industry resilience building, new equipment/mooring design, broodstock management and marine water quality monitoring.
Amending legislation regarding DA referrals to DPI – DPI has submitted draft amendments to Planning to remove the referral process for DA’s that may impact oyster aquaculture to DPI for assessment and comment. The provisions to consider OISAS and Healthy Estuaries for Healthy Oysters (HEHO) remain in legislation to protect the oyster industry. DPI will update HEHO.
Review of Environmental Factors (REF) to allow eight additional shellfish species to be cultured on Class 1 leases – DPI has finalised an REF to allow the culture of additional species on oyster aquaculture leases using existing oyster infrastructure.
Amending legislation under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 – DPI has made a submission to amend an exemption for ‘oysters’ to not require an Environment Protection Licence, to ‘bivalve shellfish’ to acknowledge hatchery and nursery production of other species for culture. DPI has also sought an exemption for bivalve shell to be used in land application (compost/soil conditioner) providing it is dried for 30 days. This initiative is an important step in providing a circular economy for oyster shell, value adding the product and avoiding landfill disposal.
Act and Regulation amendments – Further to the Shellfish Committee Oyster Reform Project, DPI is awaiting legislative amendment for: 30 year lease tenure (Act amendment); a tiered lease security system to acknowledge cheaper clean up costs for modern infrastructure; and changes in the Regulation to allow for online transactions (e.g. lease renewals) and the issuance of digital authorities with AquaDirect.
Woolooware Bay aquaculture precinct
Transport for NSW have completed the remediation of the land based oyster depot at Woolooware Bay and will shortly tender for works to rebuild the overwater sheds.
Water quality monitoring
Further the presentations at the NSW Oyster Conference, DPI will host a meeting to bring together EES, DPI, UTS and LLS so better coordinate future water quality monitoring efforts to avoid duplication of effort.
NSW DPI has been successful in obtaining Tactical Research Funding to undertake further investigation into the recent outbreak of QX in Port Stephens including determining presence of QX in different areas of the Port, preliminary window of infection research and testing of potential intermediate hosts for QX. This has been enabled through project 2021-129: Understanding of spatial extent, infection window and potential alternative hosts for the oyster disease QX in Port Stephens and is supported by funding from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation on behalf of the Australian Government.
For further information, please contact Cheryl Jenkins, Principal Research Scientist (02 4640 6396) or Ben Rampano, Senior Aquatic Policy and Project Officer (0409 321 813).
Photo below showing plankton sampling in May 2022 in Port Stephens estuary. Courtesy Ben Rampano and Steve McOrrie.
Hatchery Stock Support Position
NSW Farmers’ have recently re-purposed some funds to enable the recruitment of an officer to help support the industry’s renewed focus on hatchery stock and selectively bred oysters. The position will be advertised shortly and will be publicised widely at this time. If you are interested in the role, or know of anyone who might be suitable in this important position, please let Andy Myers know on 0488656366 or Myersa@nswfarmers.org.au.
NSW Farmers Association – Oyster Industry Priorities:
NSW Farmers’ will shortly be setting their oyster priorities for the coming year and are keen to hear about the issues that are affecting your business. Please help guide the work of your peak industry association, by completing this short survey. In completing the 8 questions, you will go into a draw to win a $100 Bunnings voucher.
You do not need to be a NSW Farmers’ member to have your say.
Any insights gained through the survey will be reported as de-identified aggregated data. Please complete the survey here.
Carbon Neutral Certification & Environmental Accounts:
In 2021 Oysters Australia commissioned a consultant (Nine-Squared) to do some work looking at the opportunities & dead-ends in relation to carbon credits / payments, carbon neutral certification and environmental accounts.
While offset payments through the Australian Governments Emission Reduction Fund aren't likely in the foreseeable future, there may be value for industry in carbon neutral certification and environmental accounting. The findings from the project are available on the NSW Oysters website. Resources produced include:
A recording of a 1-hr non-technical webinar presented by the consultant
Summary handout: Carbon Neutral Certification for Oyster Farmers
Final Report – Opportunities & Associated Value in Carbon Neutral Certification and Environmental Accounts
Oysters Australia – Quarterly Technical Forums
Recognising the exceptional bank of knowledge that resides in the Australian oyster R&D community, Oysters Australia has established a technical forum for those with an interest in oyster RD&E to come together. This technical forum will be convened online every three months, and will run for about 2 hrs. The forums may be focused on a topical theme, a geographic region, or the work of a particular university or institute. Details of upcoming forums will be circulated to those on the newly established Oysters Australia mailing list. You can subscribe here.
After COVID delays last year, the Oyster Conference is finally back on after a 3-year break. The 2022 Oyster Conference was held in Batemans Bay 18-20 May at the Soldiers Club. For those of you who missed it, it was a great 2.5 day event, packed with an exiting program, from informative and interesting talks from researchers, to industry updates and innovations, support agencies and issues pertinent to the industry, including an update on the NSW Oyster marketing campaign, shellfish program and breeding program updates, wet storage, water quality monitoring, reef restoration, algae farming, social license, carbon accounting and much more. The general atmosphere was positive and upbeat which was great to see despite the numerous challenges oyster farmers in NSW have been facing in recent years and continue to face. There was a feeling of connection and collaboration not only between research programs but also and more importantly between oyster farmers, as was particularly evident in the session on industry updates and QX.
If you haven’t already, please fill out this survey to provide invaluable feedback for the future conference committee when it’s time to organise the next conference…it only takes a few minutes and your feedback is greatly appreciated! You can also go in the draw of winning a $50 voucher for merchandise with the NSW Oyster logo. Thanks to those who have already provided feedback!
On behalf of the conference committee I would like to thank all the generous sponsors that have made this conference possible and helped make it a great success! Thanks to Blue Harvest for sponsoring the dinner, NSW Farmer's Association for sponsoring the opening night trade show, our gold sponsors The National Recovery and Resilience Agency, South East Local Land Services, and Rampage Marine & Pure Aquatics, our silver sponsors, the NSW Fishing Industry Training committee and Intertrade Insurance, and bronze sponsors NSW DPI, Eurobodalla Shire Council, and FlipFarm & Hexcyl, our photo competition sponsor Australia's Oyster Coast (AOC), and conference bag sponsor Stay Afloat. Finally, thanks to all the 30+ exhibitors that supported the trade show evening and everyone who has generously donated auction items for the dinner auction (SEAPA, FlipFarm, Hexcyl, Woodshield, BST, RCA, Zapco, and Shapes in the Sand).
We would also like to thank everyone who helped organise and/or host the field trips and the conference committee for putting such a great event together! It is really important to have industry representation on the conference committee so if you are approached for the next conference, please consider volunteering some of your time to be on the committee. Finally, thanks to Garry Young and Tracey Holley from NSW Farmers for helping with the conference account and eventbrite.
A total of 269 tickets sold, with 230 attending the trade show and dinner, 130 signed up for the biosecurity workshop, 128 for the field trips. Some feedback received below:
“Really enjoyed the conference, as always, well run and professional thanks!”
“Congrats on the conference - I thought it was outstanding.”
“It was our pleasure to attend such a well-run event in a great venue in a beautiful part of the NSW south coast. You both deserve the recognition for your effort in coordinating and making the event a positive experience for all those of us attending.”
“Thanks to you and the organising committee for a great conference. Good to see everyone and catch up after a couple of years in the office despite the current circumstances.”
“Nice to meet you last week and thank you for the opportunity to participate in your NSW Oyster Conference at Batemans Bay. It was great to meet the participants and other stakeholders to share information and advice to improve workplace health and safety.”
This year, we held a photo competition as part of the conference for the first time with the help of generous sponsorship from AOC who provided cash prizes for all the categories. Below are the winners of the photo competition. The winning photos can be viewed on the NSW Oysters website.
There are a range of grants, subsidies and loans available through the Rural Assistance Authority. For the latest information, please check out their website here.
To navigate the confusion of grants, farmers may benefit from talking with the Rural Financial Councelling Service - who can provide free & confidential advice to help you make the right decision for your business.
Disaster relief loans - Primary producers
Primary producers directly affected by a declared natural disaster who are in urgent and genuine need of assistance, may be eligible for low interest loans of up to $130,000.
This low interest rate loan can help a farm business to:
continue to operate your farm businesses for the next twelve months or until the next income is received
replace and repair damage caused to the property and associated improvements not covered by insurance.
Special Disaster Grants - NSW Storms & Floods February & March 2021
Applications are now closed, however if you have an approved application you can still make a claim until 1st September 2022. For growers who have already accessed the full $75,000 Special Disaster Grant, they may be eligible for the additional Supply Chain Support Grant. This is an additional $30,000, with applications closing 30th June 2022.
Storm & Flood Industry Recovery Package Supply Chain Grants 2021 Extended to 30 June 2022
A Storms and Floods Industry Recovery Program was released in October 2021 to support significantly impacted industries recover from the impacts of the storms and floods events of February and March 2021. This includes oyster and mussel permit holders. It will mirror the successful 2020 Bushfire Industry Recovery Package and is additional to the 2021 $75,000 Special Flood Grant.
For additional support to help recovery from the March 2021 floods see the Storm Flood Industry Recovery Program. All works must be completed, and invoices submitted to the RAA by 30 May 2023.
Special Disaster Grants - NSW Storms & Floods February 2022
Primary producers hit by storms and floods in NSW can access $15,000 immediately, through grants of up $75,000, as part of the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Grants are now available for eligible primary producers in the Local Government Areas that have been disaster declared for the February 2022 storm and flood event.
Those eligible for this grant can access up to $15,000 up-front to assist with the immediate clean-up and recovery costs, and if required, a further $60,000 to repair more extensive damage to their properties.
Rural Landholder Grants
The NSW and Australian Governments have announced Rural Landholder Grants of up to $25,000 for landholders and oyster farmers who have been impacted by severe weather and flooding from February 2022 onwards in declared Local Government Areas (LGAs), who have holdings of at least 10ha of rural land or a Class A aquaculture permit authorising at least 1ha; and receive at least $20,000 in income from primary production per annum. Applications open until 30 September 2022.
An Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 per adult and $400 per child is available for people impacted by flooding as a one-off non-means tested payment. You have until 29 September 2022 to make a claim. Service NSW is also available to discuss crisis support and can be called on 13 77 88.
Storm & Flood Industry Recovery Package Supply Chain Grants 2022
For this years Sector Development Grants (not yet announced), I would encourage everyone to think about industry-wide projects that we could apply for through the soon to announced grant program, If you have ideas for a project, contact your local Shellfish Committee rep, NSW Farmers Association or OceanWatch.
The effects of a flood can be felt long after the waters have receded. Check in on your friends and neighbours, and if you or someone you know needs help, reach out. The following are free, confidential services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week:
Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) has Coordinators based across NSW who are able to provide specialist knowledge and support for people experiencing mental health concerns. You can contact coordinators for a chat about how you’re going, information about mental health services in the area or anything else that might be on your mind. https://ramhp.com.au/
Rural Aid: Australia’s most trusted rural charity. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and other assistance. Rural Aid also help with specific support measures to meet farmer’s individual needs. These are measured on a case-by-case basis. You can register for assistance through their website https://www.ruralaid.org.au/
OceanWatch Responsible Oyster Farmer Training Program
The OceanWatch Responsible Oyster Farmer Training Program was designed to provide an in-depth background and overview of responsible oyster farming practice as outlined in the Oyster Industry Sustainable Aquaculture Strategy. Whether you are a new entrant to the industry, or want to put your staff through this course, or simply want to demonstrate your commitment to responsible oyster farming and access the rebate program, this program is for you.
It consists of 12 modules that were developed in consultation with NSW DPI, Aquatic Biosecurity, the Food Authority, South Coast Wilderness Oysters, and NSW Farmer's Association covering topics pertinent to the oyster industry and responsible and best practice oyster farming (e.g., Industry structure and associations, social license, habitat and water quality, biosecurity, etc.).
There will be two delivery methods: face-to-face workshops (see details below) and an online learning platform for self-paced learning and for those who can't make it to the workshops.
Sign up for the OceanWatch Responsible Oyster Farmer Training Program now by emailing Laura@oceanwatch.org.au with your interest.
Times and Venues will be announced shortly.
*This program is supported by OceanWatch Australia, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program
2022 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show
Entries for the 2022 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show are now open.
Important Dates
8th Jun 2022: Entries Close
Aug 2022: Deliveries
5th Aug - 1st Sep 2022: Judging
20th Sep 2022: Taste of Excellence Awards presentation and results published
Women in Agriculture are invited to join SafeWork NSW and Essential Energy for free Lunch and Learn events to be held in June/July 2022. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with your industry, learn how to navigate and respond to electrical hazards as well as work around farm vehicles and machinery.
Register at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/safework-nsw-33287479609
Locations include Buronga, Temora, Finley, Goulburn, Griffith, Tumut, Narrabri, Tamworth, Forbes, Dubbo, Nyngan, Cooma, Moruya, Casino, Gloucester, Gunnedah, Inverell, Armidale, Walgett, Moree and a SafeWork only event in Moss Vale.
By attending the event, you may be eligible to apply for rebate programs including the small business rebate of up to $1,000, quad bike safety improvement program up to the value of $2,000 and the aerial marker installation program run by essential energy (conditions apply).
Held biennially since 1996, the Sydney Fish Market Seafood Excellence Awards showcase the Australian seafood industry, its value to the national economy, its professionalism, and its commitment to supplying some of the finest seafood in the world to local, national and international markets.
OceanWatch's own Siobhan Threlfall has won the Young Achiever Award. Siobhan is only 27, but she has already had such a significant positive impact on many sectors of the NSW seafood industry, as well as the marine environment.As an OceanWatch employee for the past 3 years, she has led several projects that have connected NSW seafood industry members to their local communities, has raised the profile of seafood products nationwide, and has helped the seafood industry take charge of environmental protection. She is very respected by seafood industry colleagues for her knowledge, thoughtfulness, attention to detail and infectious passion, which are invaluable qualities of this young leader. Siobhan has been instrumental in the Tide to Tip Oyster Estuary Clean-ups and has worked closely with oyster farmers over the years. Most recently, she has led the “The urchin plague: from problem to profit”, an initiative that seeks to control populations of the long-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) which have fed voraciously on marine vegetation. You can learn more about her projects here. We are very proud!
Awards were issued at the Batemans Bay NSW Oyster Conference to recoginse outstanding service to the NSW Oyster Industry. The following people received an award in recognition of their tireless and valuable contributions:
Bruce Alford
Todd Graham
Mark Hunter
Mike Dove
Steve McOrrie
1. Who are you and what are you working on?
My name is Brittany Williams and I’m a marine biology PhD candidate with the University of Adelaide. I work with Dr Dominic McAfee and Professor Sean Connell on actionable solutions for oyster reef restoration. In Australia, native oyster reefs were once widespread along the southern coastline, but are now lost due to an oyster fishery in the 19th Century. My PhD research is on how we can boost the restoration of lost oyster reefs using ‘acoustic enrichment’. By building self-made, affordable underwater speakers, I have been broadcasting the sounds of healthy reefs to oyster larvae in the wild, to see if these sounds can draw them to locations we want to restore so they can settle there.
2. Can you give a brief background of your research and/or findings?
The marine ‘soundscape’ consists of geophysical (i.e., wind, rain), biological (i.e., fish, snapping shrimp) and man-made (i.e., shipping, outboard motors) sounds. Healthy reef soundscapes are filled with the crackle produced by snapping shrimp, however, they are becoming muted due to habitat loss, climate change and noise pollution. As a result, marine animals that use these healthy reef sounds as indicators of somewhere suitable and safe to live in are now becoming lost at sea. Our latest research (https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14188) has discovered that by playing snapping shrimp crackle to larval oysters, we provide them with a ‘highway of sound’ that they can follow all the way to restoration sites where they then settle. We found that larval oysters can not only detect this sound and prefer it over the sounds of barren, sandy habitats, but that they can even swim horizontally towards the source of this sound. This indicates that larval oysters have far greater control over where they chose to go in the ocean and are not just passive drifters. Interestingly, we also found that playing underwater sound attracts more larval oysters if played in locations of lower background noise. In places of higher background noise (i.e., from shipping and boating) this technique seems to be less effective, as the reef sounds become masked.
3. How will your research help the oyster industry?
Our discovery that oyster larvae can respond to and prefer healthy reef sounds points to the possibility of using acoustic technology for reef restoration and for encouraging the settlement of larvae in aquaculture. Commercial underwater speaker technology is still expensive, however, open-source DIY speaker instructions are now available, made from off the shelf materials. This makes acoustic enrichment for restoration and aquaculture an easy, readily achievable way to increase oyster larval settlement, relative to other techniques. Furthermore, our finding that this technique is most effective when used at places of little background noise, indicates that oyster growers hoping to use this technique should aim to minimise surrounding noise (i.e., from outboard motors) to increase its effectiveness. Much remains to be learnt about this novel technique, however, it does appear promising, with the potential to be applied to other animals too, both marine and terrestrial.
A collaboration between Eurobodalla Council and the Narooma Oyster Festival aims to divert up to 20 cubic metres, roughly 75,000, used oyster shells from landfill. Specific bins were provided at the oyster festival which allowed used shells to be collected. Upon collection used oyster shells were crushed and plan to be used for soil regeneration as they have high calcium and macronutrient levels, capable of raising soil pH.
The National Seafood Industry Leadership Program (NSILP) is a national industry specific leadership program. It is designed in conjunction with seafood industry people for those who wish to take up leadership roles within the seafood industry.
Two programs will be delivered in 2022:
An in-Person program which will follow the same structure as all previous programs
Indigenous people sustainably harvested oysters for thousands of years before European colonisation
The demise of oyster beds is commonly known to Indigenous peoples in coastal regions. Studies performed in South East Queensland and America showed Indigenous oyster populations were sustainably managed at large scales for thousands of years. This indicates Indigenous knowledge could be essential to restoring the health of oyster fisheries today.
Ian McNiven, a Professor of Indigenous Archaeology at Monash University, stated "We should be involving First Nations communities in the management of marine resources where they have their own ancestral fisheries that go back thousands of years."
An oyster industry in North Queensland could inject more than $80 million into the state’s economy. It is the first time oysters have been grown in Queensland outside of the South East. This emerging industry could rival Sydney’s famous rock oyster market.
Blacklip Oysters will be farmed in Northern Queensland, with their unique capabilities to survive the warmer waters of tropical Queensland, providing a sweeter tasting product compared to their southern counterparts.
Researchers, farmers investigate carbon neutral accreditation for Australian oysters
Carbon neutral seafood is on the rise and farmers are looking to gain accreditation for their product.While oysters outperform land-based protein from an environmental perspective, according to researcher Dr Rachael Marshall, that has not been well communicated to consumers.
Oyster aquaculture is a no feed, no waste industry and oysters actually remove, concentrate and store surrounding carbon to grow their outer shells.
OceanWatch Australia is the National Marine NRM, recognised and supported by the Australian Government through the National Landcare Program.
The NSW Oyster Industry Extension Officer is funded through the NSW Aquaculture Trust and the NSW Landcare Program. The NSW Landcare Program is a collaboration of Local Land Services and Landcare NSW Inc. supported by the NSW Government.
