Tackling fish habitat through restoration & rehabilitation in Maroochy and Northern Moreton Bay.
Protecting and improving vegetation and biodiversity in the Maroochy and Nothern Moreton Bay areas to restore fish populations.
The project is a collaborative and strategic drive to improve the fish stocks of the popular Maroochy River, Pumicestone Passage, and Deception Bay.
The goal is the enhancement of fish habitat through bank stabilisation and mangrove rehabilitation along the Maroochy River canelands and Burpengary Creek, through the rehabilitation of the Coolum Creek Wetlands, and the restoration of in-stream shellfish habitat in the Pumicestone Passage and Maroochy estuary.
The project focuses on:
The process to restore fish populations involves:
As a result of this project, the following was achieved:
Since European settlement, the Maroochy River has been heavily impacted by agriculture, urban and industrial development, and high tourism numbers. Most of the area was once covered in sugarcane. A combination of factors influences bank erosion. This process is mainly due to undercutting into sandy materials within the tidal range, and consequent bank collapse that produces a change and variation in the fish habitat as well as a decrease in flood mitigation. The absence of shellfish in the area is concerning, as they have been proven to support the growth of harvestable fish populations and contribute to water clarity; taking steps for ecological remediation is even more crucial for this area. Building resilience in the ecosystem is required before the system deteriorates further. |
Project name: | Fishers for fish habitat Maroochy & Northern Moreton Bay |
Project manager: | Patrick Malone & Cathy Brinkley, Healthy Land & Water |
Project team: | Gabriella Shuster |
Catchment: | Moreton Bay, Maroochy |
Timing: | 2020 – 2023 |
Budget: | $300,000 |
Partnerships: | This habitat restoration program is run in collaboration with Ozfish and funded by the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. |
Related Articles: |
There is huge potential to build on the successful work.
This habitat restoration project is funded by the Australian Government's National Landcare Program and implemented in collaboration with Ozfish.