HAVE YOUR SAY ON GIPPSLAND LAKES OYSTER TRIAL

[fishingvic]

HAVE YOUR SAY ON GIPPSLAND LAKES OYSTER TRIAL


Media release

Thursday 16 December 2021

HAVE YOUR SAY ON GIPPSLAND LAKES OYSTER TRIAL

People who live, work and play in the Gippsland Lakes are being encouraged to complete a short online survey to share their views on the native oyster aquaculture trial, set to commence next year.

Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) CEO Travis Dowling said the trial is a partnership with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) to grow Sydney rock and Angasi oysters, both of which are abundant and native to the Gippsland Lakes system.

“This could see Victorian-grown Sydney rock oysters back on the menu for seafood consumers, which would be a huge win for the state,” Mr Dowling said.

“The trial will assess the viability, growth rates and eating qualities of the two species at five sites around Flannagans and Rigbys islands, west of Lakes Entrance.

“A native oyster industry in the Gippsland Lakes would create jobs for Gunaikurnai, support regional tourism and supply fresh, local and sustainable seafood.

“The Gunaikurnai have a strong interest in a native shellfish industry whereby its people can work on Country and maintain a meaningful connection to land and water.

“Existing oyster aquaculture interstate is worth more than $100 million, so if the trial is successful and permanent oyster farming becomes established, it could lead to significant economic prosperity for towns around the Gippsland Lakes.

“Oyster aquaculture isn’t new to Victoria with Angasi oysters are already grown by several licensed farmers closer to Melbourne in Port Phillip and Western Port.”

Mr Dowling said the online survey contains only nine questions and should take less than two minutes to complete.

“The survey results will give VFA fisheries managers and GLaWAC a much greater understanding of existing user groups, what they value most about the areas in and around the sites, and how their interests align with an oyster growing trial.

“The survey is open until close of business 16 January 2022 and can be completed at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GippsOysters.

Questions about the survey and feedback on the oyster trial can also be directed to haveyoursay@vfa.vic.gov.au or by calling 03 9658 4737.

Media contact: Amelia Elliston 0437 801 068

[4liters]

They do a lot of this in similar lakes in NSW, has there been any issues arising from that?

[re-tyred]

Oysters have been farmed in the Gippsland lakes before. They went well for a while. Very wet years killed them off a few times. Personally I think oyster farms are great fish habitat. I hope they are successful

[hornet]

I could eat my body weight of them ! in NSW oyster farms they hold heaps of bream, best place to fish for them... first stop we make when sounding around.

[rb85]

Had a few oysters with my partner at Dinner its a fair bet Lakes can expect a Baby Boom or should I say Bogan Boom....

Oysters have been farmed in the Gippsland lakes before. They went well for a while. Very wet years killed them off a few times. Personally I think oyster farms are great fish habitat. I hope they are successful

On a serious note did it help water quality at all ReTyred

[Kimtown]

They do a lot of this in similar lakes in NSW, has there been any issues arising from that?

I've snorkelled around the ones in Merimbula (looking back i'm surprised i didn't have shots fired at me) and there were heaps of big bream, luderick and sting rays hanging around them in only a couple foot of water. Wouldn't surprise me if Mulloway and sharks cruise through at night as well looking for an easy feed.

Definitely a great habitat for marine life. Not sure whether the oyster farms draw the fish away from their usual habitat though.

[greggo]

I would imagine the fluctuating fresh water levels would be a risk for the lease owners.

[Longbombs]

Oysters have been farmed in the Gippsland lakes before. They went well for a while. Very wet years killed them off a few times. Personally I think oyster farms are great fish habitat. I hope they are successful

With ever-increasing salinity levels in the system, I'd say this will become less of a problem as time goes on.

Though with more intense weather patterns (like rain events) occurring every year, this might still be an issue.

I can see it being a more boom/bust cycle with acute high salinity/dry periods and acute flood periods.

And from the regulatory perspective, It seems the main issue will be how oyster producers deal with oyster quality and contamination in an ecosystem with high agriculture and dairy farm runoff.

Filter feeders are notorious for becoming an unsellable product in even marginally contaminated water sources. Not to mention the post-processing risks.

I hope they get passed because I get around aquaculture, especially filter feeders. I just hope they set a limit to how high up they can grow them.

[re-tyred]

Had a few oysters with my partner at Dinner its a fair bet Lakes can expect a Baby Boom or should I say Bogan Boom....

Oysters have been farmed in the Gippsland lakes before. They went well for a while. Very wet years killed them off a few times. Personally I think oyster farms are great fish habitat. I hope they are successful

On a serious note did it help water quality at all ReTyred

Well the situation was different in the 1970s . The bar wasn't dredged, the Thomson wasn't dammed, and Pecks operated a fish paste factory on Bullock Island. Fishing around the town was pretty good. During dry years the bar would slowly shallow up. Then when a flood came the water levels would rise rapidly flooding the town's around the lakes. The high water levels would cause a massive run out through the entrance. This would cut a new channel and the lake levels would drop. If this all happened quickly the Oysters would survive. If however we just had a rainy year after a drought then the salinity would drop, the deep channel wouldn't form and the oysters would die. Water quality was quite poor in the wet years. The combination of Pecks factory and higher flows from the rivers meant the water was pea soup at times. I don't think there was ever enough oysters to filter much crud out. This time we have a much cleaner system around this end of the lake.

[frozenpod]

Sounds like a great idea, oystesr do a lot to clean up the water from alage, I don't know if they clean up other things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N39nPt7k3p0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvR0RIZd8HU