Shell washer welcomed to power clean oyster shells in Pumicestone

Recycling used oyster shells for reef restoration work can be slow and dirty work. Australia’s only fishing conservation charity, OzFish Unlimited, recently welcomed a new purpose-built shell washer to accelerate the recycling process for its dedicated volunteers at Pumicestone Passage.

The washer will clean recycled shells within the Shell Recycling Centre at the Ningi Transfer Station before they are sterilised in the sun for up to 4 months.

OzFish Pumicestone Chapter purchased the washer with the help of a grant from the Australian Government’s Communities Environment Program that supports community groups to address local environmental outcomes.

OzFish Pumicestone Passage Chapter President Elle Veary said the shell washer would benefit shell recycling on multiple levels.

“This will potentially save our volunteers a considerable amount of time. Without the washer, a backhoe and driver were needed to move loads of heavy shell. Volunteers then had to laboriously handwash the shell with a pressure cleaner in batches which was labour intense,” Elle said.

“Shells can now be washed in smaller batches, more frequently. The washer eliminates the need to hire equipment and improves safety for our volunteers.”

To encourage growth, juvenile oysters require a hard surface to attach to, preferably another shell. Unfortunately, historic dredging and harvesting decimated much of the existing native shellfish reef from places like Pumicestone and throughout Moreton Bay.

Less than five percent of natural shellfish reefs remain today in the area. The resulting lack of hard-shell substrate is one of the key factors which is preventing oyster reefs from re-establishing naturally.

OzFish volunteers are working toward providing improved habitat for oysters to grow and that improves water quality.

“Every oyster shell that is recycled and placed back into a suitable reef restoration site will provide a home for up to 10 baby oysters,” stated Elle.

“It is also helping our local businesses and the environment as we’re now diverting tonnes of waste shell each year from local restaurants and Oysters on Bribie, our local shucker, from being dumped in landfill. It’s a win-win.”

A thriving shellfish reef makes ideal homes, breeding locations and food sources for a vast array of invertebrates and fish. Every hectare of living shellfish reef has the potential to produce an estimated two tonnes of sustainably harvestable fish every year.

This Pumicestone Passage Shellfish Reef Restoration project began in 2017 in partnership with Healthy Land and Water through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, Moreton Bay Regional Council, Unity Water, Pumicestone Passage Restocking Association and BCF – Boating, Camping Fishing.

If you would like to know more about volunteering and supporting this initiative go to ozfish.org.au and become a member.