Just 100 years ago, shellfish reefs cleaned the waters off Australia's southern shores, protected coastal communities from storm surges, and provided food and shelter for local fish and other marine creatures.
Today, these reefs are nearly gone. Dredging, destructive fishing gear, overharvesting of oysters and chemical pollution have nearly wiped out Australia's southern shellfish reefs. For the 16 million Australians living near our southern coasts, this means dirtier water, greater risk from storms, and unhealthy marine ecosystems.
While national and international organisations have focused on the protection of the Great Barrier Reef, our less glamourous but equally important native shellfish reefs have been largely overlooked and are, today, almost wiped out.
If these native reefs are to be saved, the neglect must end now. Growing native baby Angasi oysters and recycling discarded mussel, scallop and oyster shells from local restaurants, The Nature Conservancy is beginning to rebuild these forgotten reefs in Port Philip Bay. We and our partners can turn more rubbish into reefs across Australia’s southern coasts, but this work will require strong on-the-ground support. Add your name to pledge to help restore Australia’s forgotten shellfish reefs.
