Determining the best practice for Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata, reef restoration and enhanced ecological benefits

Background Shellfish reef restoration is relatively new in Australia, particularly to intertidal estuarine environments. In late 2019/early 2020 the first large-scale shellfish reef restoration project of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata was undertaken in the Myall and Karuah Rivers, Port Stephens, on the mid north coast of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The present study aimed to determine whether locally sourced clean conspecific oyster shells, and/or locally quarried rocks were better for natural recruitment of natural S. glomerata for large-scale oyster reef restoration, and subsequent recruitment of fishes and invertebrates. Over two years, recruitment of S. glomerata spat, and associated fishes and invertebrates were assessed on reefs made of: (1) rock, and (2) rock and shell. Results The mean (+/- SE) density of oyster spat on rock reefs (Myall River: 1790 +/- 48, Karuah River: 1928 +/- 68) was significantly greater (Myall River: ANOVA Si: MS (2, 18) = 31080167, F = 96.05, P < 0.001, Karuah River: ANOVA Si x Ti: MS 18, 270 = 2965449, F = 5.99, P < 0.001) than on rock and shell reefs (Myall River: 840 +/- 40, Karuah River: 1505 +/- 75). Rock reefs had significantly greater densities (Myall River: ANOVA Si x Ti: MS (18, 270) = 15657, F = 2.71, P < 0.001, Karuah River: ANOVA Si x Ti: MS 18, 270 = 20322, F = 5.25, P < 0.001) of the most abundant invertebrate, Bembicium auratum (Myall River: 85 +/- 9, Karuah River: 100 +/- 8) than reefs of rock and shell (Myall River: 59 +/- 8, Karuah River: 44 +/- 5), but there was no significant difference in the diversity and relative abundance of the most abundant species of fish, Acanthopagrus australis. Conclusions This study demonstrates that using locally sourced rock is better for S. glomerata recruitment than shells. Although shell might have benefits that were not investigated in the present study, such as elicit greater social licence for oyster reef restoration projects, but as shown here, it may not be beneficial from an ecological perspective. With the global expansion of the range of different native species of reef oysters for restoration, the appropriate material used for reef bases needs to be chosen for a specific species and purpose.