Fisheries Habitat Restoration Project

North Coast Local Land Services has received funding under the Australian Government’s Fisheries Habitat Restoration Program to deliver six projects to restore the health and functionality of fisheries habitat across the region.

These projects will address key threats to fisheries habitat on the North Coast. This includes:

• Historical clearing of the vegetation adjacent to waterways which has led to habitat loss and water degradation.
• Riverbank erosion caused by the lack of vegetation, land management practices and wave action due to boat wash.
• Loss of hard surfaces for oyster settlement.

Project partners, local recreational fishing communities and private landholders will deliver a range of actions to increase the health and productivity of habitats that support fish stocks and fisheries including:

• Fencing off waterways to keep cattle out of rivers and streams, and revegetating the area to increase bank stability, provide bank structure and increase important vegetation communities.
• Removing weeds to restore the health and functionality of fisheries habitat.
• Install a range of structures that will help to disperse waves, increase plant germination, stabilise riverbanks and provide fish and oysters with habitat structures.
• Support local recreational fishers to monitor fish stocks and vegetation.

To deliver this project, we're working together with our valued partners: Byron Shire Council, Tweed Shire Council, Nambucca Shire Council, OzFish Unlimited, Oceanwatch and Nambucca Landcare.

Photo: Recreationally heavily fished Bream rely on mangroves as nursery grounds to complete their lifecycle. Photo by Shaun Morris

This project is supported by Regional Land Partnerships through funding from the Australian Government’s Fisheries Habitat Restoration Program.