Home / Projects / Shellfish Revolution / Pimp My Jetty – Lake Macquarie NSW

Expanding The Shellfish Revolution
To Lake Macquarie

Members of OzFish Lake Macquarie Chapter are bringing an innovative shellfish restoration project to Australia’s largest saltwater tidal waterway.

OzFish will work with private jetty owners to install environmentally friendly hanging habitat to help restore vitally important shellfish reefs to the waterway.

The first step in this project is securing enough private jetties to begin the restoration work. If you are open to OzFish using your jetty to help restore shellfish populations in the lake, then please register your expression of interest below.

Shellfish can filter up to 180 litres of water every day and also remove sediment, improving the clarity and quality of the water. They can also sequester harmful chemicals such as nitrogen, carbon, and micro plastics.

It is estimated that a hectare of shellfish reef can produce up to 2.5 tonnes more harvestable fish each year.

An innovative solution

In 2022, OzFish members in Western Australia trialed a new approach to shellfish restoration – rolling out the Pimp My Jetty initiative.

This involved engaging jetty owners to understand the importance and benefits of having thriving shellfish reefs in their area. More than 50 jetty owners asked to be included in the project.

The ropes are made of natural fibres and over time, as more oysters colonise them, they become complex habitat that provides a wealth of shelter, shade, and food for native fish.

The Gold Coast project is the first time that Pimp My Jetty has been delivered outside of Western Australia, and its expansion mirrors OzFish’s general growth across Australia as it scales up habitat restoration on hundreds of waterways.

Check out this video to see what we have achieved so far with the Pimp My Jetty project over in Western Australia!

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LATEST NEWS

16 NOVEMBER 2023 | Pimp My Jetty to make a splash at Lake Macquarie

Sydney Harbour and Lake Macquarie are two of the most famous fishing locations in NSW and they are about to get a big helping hand from OzFish Unlimited in the form of the Pimp My Jetty project.  After launching successful projects in the Peel-Harvey estuary near Mandurah in Western Australia and on the Gold Coast, OzFish is holding workshops for private jetty owners who want to install an environmentally friendly hanging habitat unit in their backyard.  The low-cost fish habitat units are made from natural fibre rope and timber, and they are suspended underneath jetties and pontoons with the aim of creating additional shelter and food for fish to enhance biodiversity of existing urban structures.  OzFish, Australia’s recreational fishing conservation charity, kicked off

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30 JUNE 2023 | Lake Macquarie Next To Get Pimp My Jetty makeover in innovative program

Nestled in a beautiful region of NSW lies Lake Macquarie, the largest coastal saltwater lake in the country, in fact, the Southern Hemisphere. Renowned for its breathtaking beauty and abundant recreational opportunities, Lake Macquarie attracts boating enthusiasts, anglers, and nature lovers alike. With its diverse habitats, the lake is a precious gem for recreational fishing. Recognising the potential for habitat restoration, the OzFish Lake Macquarie Chapter launched an exciting project called ‘Pimp My Jetty,’ which aims to enhance habitat growth on private jetties around the lake.