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Dear <<First Name>>,
It has been another tough year for oyster farmers in NSW, with some of the worst weather we have seen in many years. Despite the challenges, I wish you all good oyster sales over the holiday season and that you can take a well-deserved break. This can be a tough time for many, so if you need support, don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and family, or professional support services. I am always happy to assist in any way, so reach out to my email Laura@oceanwatch.org.au or give me a call on 0456935998.
Thank you to those that came along to the OceanWatch Oyster Movie Night last month, supported by Stay Afloat Australia with trusted advocate Gary Hawkes. In the New Year, we plan on providing more assistance to farmers affected by the flooding in 2022 through the LLS Early Needs Recovery Program with a series of “Grant Blitz BBQs”. This will be a collaboration between OceanWatch, SCWO, and Stay Afloat. Look out for Workshop/BBQ dates being announced soon.
There is also a Flood Small Gift Program by NSW Farmers Association, you can apply through this link: NSWF Floods Small Gift 2022 Application Form (jotform.com).
At OceanWatch, we have many projects planned for 2023, starting with the annual oyster industry clean-up Tide To Tip 2023, which this year will look at expanding to more locations interstate. We are now calling all local coordinators in your estuary to sign up and put forward a date for the last two weeks of February. Please sign up your interest on this form. This event relies on the willingness and dedication of the local coordinators and all oyster farmers in each estuary to make it as successful as it has been. Last year, we collectively removed >8 tonnes of rubbish from 16 estuaries with the help of 169 volunteers putting in 488 volunteer hours! It is a great success story, demonstrating shared values and showing the community that we care about the marine environment and look after it. Look out for some fun social media competitions with prizes, too!
We have also been working hard behind the scenes on the online version of the OceanWatch Responsible Oyster Farmer Training Program. The online course will go live in January and you can sign up to enroll for the free course via this link. For more information on the course and rebate program, click here.
From everyone at OceanWatch, we wish you and your loved ones Happy Holidays!
Take care,
Laura
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