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Talking about shellfish and seagrass restoration for nutrient offsetting

Aug 20, 2026 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm E. Australia Standard Time  

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Seagrass and shellfish reef restoration have emerged as critical, nature-based solutions for nutrient offsetting. Oysters can mediate the long-term removal of nitrogen through denitrification and bio-extraction. Similarly, seagrasses improve water quality by trapping sediments and absorbing nutrients, effectively acting as natural water filters. By integrating these restored habitats into nutrient credit markets, all levels of government can bridge the massive implementation gaps in current catchment management plans while generating significant economic and ecological co-benefits.
 

NOTE: THIS EVENT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE.
 
Register and the Microsoft Teams meeting link to join online will be provided in your 'Registration Confirmation' email.

 
 
Shellfish reefs and seagrass are coastal ecosystems that have experienced significant declines in extent due to a range of anthropogenic (human activity) impacts.
 
The loss of these ecosystems leads to a loss in the ecological services these ecosystems provide such as shoreline stabilisation, nutrient abatement and habitat for many species.
 
Restoration initiatives are often implemented to overcome these impacts and to re-establish the service they provide.
 
Seagrass Restoration
 
UniSC is involved in multiple restoration projects looking at shellfish and seagrass restoration efforts primarily designed to offset nutrients in coastal waterways.
 
Through ongoing monitoring projects and support from industry, UniSC seek to deliver projects to bring back these important ecosystems and maintain healthy waterways for communities to enjoy. 
 
Shellfish reef restoration
 
Dr Lucy Goodridge Gaines is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC).
 
Her research aims to identify the spatial drivers of fish communities across multiple ecosystems with the aim of improving restoration and conservation outcomes for managers and communities.
 
Dr Lucy Goodridge Gaines
 
Lucy works in freshwater and estuarine realms, with a focus on identifying processes and habitat use by fish throughout these diverse coastal ecosystems.
 
She is currently involved in projects including shellfish reef restoration and long-term monitoring of fish communities throughout SEQ estuaries.
 
Lucy works closely with local councils and NGO's to deliver projects focused on ecosystem restoration, quantifying biodiversity and ecosystem condition monitoring.
 
Interesting reading:

Assessing the combined effects of catchment land use and runoff on estuarine fish assemblages. 'Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Vol.305, pp.1-11 2024. Lucy A. Goodridge Gaines, Christopher J. Henderson, Andrew D. Olds, Nicholas L. Ortodossi, Thomas W. Brook, Brandon J. Hourigan and Ben L. Gilby. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2024.108873.
Where
Deception Bay Environmental Hub
7 Joseph Crescent
Deception Bay, QLD
Australia
Organizers

PR

Peter Row
organiser.redcliffesunrise@gmail.com
0499099571