Turning old shell into new fish in Port Phillip Bay

Ever wondered what happens to the shells from your last seafood dinner? If you’re in Victoria, there’s a good chance they’re headed back to the bay — thanks to a community-driven project that’s turning shellfish waste into thriving fish habitat.

Last month, volunteers from OzFish’s East Port Phillip Bay Chapter joined Vic Program Manager Andy Foudoulis to drop 800kg of recycled shell into Frankston’s waters, right on top of some familiar underwater real estate — the concrete reef balls first deployed by the Victorian Fisheries Authority between 2009 and 2012.

These reef balls were installed to support fish populations by mimicking the function of natural reefs, providing a place for shellfish to grow and fish to feed, hide and breed. Now, with a little help from local restaurants, seafood wholesalers and a passionate crew of OzFishers, we’re taking things one step further — infilling the spaces between those reef balls with recycled shell to boost the footprint and help baby oysters settle and stick.

“Historically, a lot of the shellfish reefs were harvested out of the bay – it’s now just a lot of barren, sandy surface,” said Andy. “We want to create better conditions for natural reef formation. If baby oysters have nowhere to settle during spawning, they drift out to sea. No oysters means no new reefs, and no new reefs means nowhere for fish to feed and breed.”

Thanks to a collaboration with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and funding from Sustainability Victoria, OzFish is now collecting oyster, mussel and scallop shells from across the Mornington Peninsula as part of our Shell Savers program. The shells are cleaned and cured at our recycling centre in Flinders, and six months later, they’re ready to return to the ocean — not to landfill.

Between now and late 2026, OzFish plans to deploy 10 tonnes of recycled shell across six sites in the bay. The goal? To connect and enhance the reef ball sites, restore shellfish reefs, and ultimately improve fishing and waterway health for everyone who loves the bay.

“It’s a form of alchemy — transforming waste into more fish,” said Andy. “Shellfish reefs are essential for sustainable fish populations and the health of our waterways.”

Want to get involved? Join the East Port Phillip Bay Chapter and come along to a regular shell cleaning or bagging day. We’re also encouraging fishing clubs, divers and community groups to jump in and get involved.

If you care about fish and fishing in the bay — this is your chance to give back.

The Reef Ball project is funded by recreational fishing licence fees through the Victorian Fisheries Authority, and supported by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, BCF – Boating, Camping, Fishing and other valued partners.

The Shellsavers project is supported by Sustainability Victoria, a Victorian Government initiative, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and BCF – Boating, Camping, Fishing.