Local restaurants join effort to restore marine habitats

A TRAILBLAZING recycling program aimed at reducing waste and restoring marine habitats has expanded to Torquay, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula.

Run by environmental conservation charity The Nature Conservancy Australia (TNC) and social enterprise consultancy group B-Alternative, the Shuck Don’t Chuck program encourages local restaurants and seafood venues to recycle their oyster, mussel and scallop shells.

Once collected, the shells are repurposed for use in a new and world-leading trial, led by TNC, that is striving to restore shellfish reefs in Port Phillip Bay in end-of-life dredge material grounds – that is, areas of seafloor allocated for sand and mud that has been cleared to create navigation channels.

TNC’s seascapes conservation officer Andy Bossie said the organisation was working to increase the use of recycled shells in its projects, helping to decrease landfill waste and boost the health of marine ecosystems.

“[Recycled shells] play a great role in the restoration process, either as a foundation for the reef or as a support for young shellfish to grow on before forming reef structures,” he said.

More than 50 participating venues have signed on to the Shuck Don’t Chuck program since it launched in 2015, contributing to the restoration of nearly 12 hectares of shellfish reefs, spanning four locations and the use of more than 825 tonnes of recycled shells.

This includes the restoration of 49 historical reef beds in Port Phillip Bay alone.

Program coordinator Isabelle Pearl Love-Dack said she was excited to launch the initiative in the region.

“Using shell waste to regenerate our lost reefs not only supports the environment we rely on, but also promotes sustainability within our community,” she said.

Ms Love-Dack is also the owner of Finn’s Oyster Bar, a mobile oyster bar based in Ocean Grove, and every single shell from the business’s events has been saved through the recycling program.

Samesyn and The Kyn in Torquay, Emerge Dining in Geelong and White Fisheries in Drysdale are among the local restaurants and businesses to have already taken up the initiative.

Samesyn owner Graeme Jefferies praised Shuck Don’t Chuck as a “fantastic initiative” that allows the local community to “give back to the environment”.

“It’s a win-win for businesses and marine biodiversity alike,” he said.

“We can’t wait to see the positive impact it will have on our waters.”

Shell collection will be available across Torquay, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula on Wednesdays, as TNC works towards its goal to restore 60 shellfish reefs – one of the world’s most degraded ecosystems – by 2030.

To learn more about the initiative, or to get involved, contact B-Alternative operations manager Belinda Flanders on 0455 047 908 or via email at [email protected] .