Community volunteers set to restore seagrass meadows in Lake Macquarie
Australia’s fishing conservation charity OzFish Unlimited together with UNSW Sydney researchers are calling on residents and recreational fishers to the launch of Operation Posidonia – a project aimed at restoring endangered Posidonia seagrass meadows within Lake Macquarie with the help of local communities.
Seagrass meadows have become severely threatened by human activities and have been declining on average at the same rate as coral reefs – one soccer field every half hour.
The restoration initiative aptly named, Operation Posidonia is hosting an official launch on Saturday 26 June in the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club in Belmont, and the community is encouraged to get involved in the habitat restoration project.
The event will feature scientists, fishing personalities and project partners, and provides an opportunity for the local community to learn about the project and how to get involved.
Community members are needed to collect Posidonia seagrass shoots along the shoreline which wash up after strong winds and storms.
The volunteers then place them in coordinated spots to be replanted by the research team in areas ideal for their survival and where Posidonia has been damaged.
The project follows on from a successful pilot in Port Stephens led by Associate Professor Adriana Vergés and her research team.
“In Port Stephens we saw an amazing response from the local community. Our Operation Posidonia ‘storm squad’ volunteers collected over 1500 Posidonia shoots over one year, which we replanted underwater.
“This allowed us to re-establish lost seagrass meadows that underpin biodiversity and fisheries. Lake Macquarie is a really exciting new venture, because we know the community value the Lake for its fishing and clean water, to which the health of seagrass meadows are undeniably linked.”
Seagrass can easily be confused with seaweed – however, there are many important differences between the two. Unlike seaweed, seagrasses produce flowers, fruits and seeds, and have specialised tissue which allows them to absorb nutrients from sediments and transport them internally.
This allows seagrass, such as Posidonia to provide both habitat and a food source for fish, and importantly for Lake Macquarie, stabilise the seabed, reduce erosion and improve water quality.
OzFish Project Manager for Coastal NSW, Angus Fanning is excited by the prospect the project presents for the lake.
“The lake essentially acts as a big basin for the region, capturing stormwater run-off, sediment from erosion, and in some instances contamination.
“By working on restoring these endangered seagrass meadows, we are essentially enhancing a vegetation community that buffers these impacts and in doing so, creating a more resilient and healthier ecosystem for everyone.
“We all have a role to play to ensure these precious shoots find their way back to the bottom of the lake to restore our marine habitats, and the community can take an active role in rehabilitating their own back yard.
“To learn more about how to get involved, come along to Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, Belmont on Saturday 26 June at midday, right above the Posidonia habitat where we plan to do this work,” Angus said.
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This project is supported by NSW Department of Primary Industries Recreational Fishing Trusts. The project is based at UNSW Sydney and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science in collaboration with OzFish Unlimited, the Lake Macquarie City Council, Transport for NSW & Delta Electricity.