Welcome Mike

Welcome, Mike Thomson

UTAS social research - Marine and coastal community wellbeing in NW

We have a big change to announce in the NRM team!

The Cradle Coast Authority has appointed a new manager to oversee Natural Resource Management in the region.

Scottish-born Mike Thomson has more than 30 years of global experience in the aquaculture industry, spanning research and development, aquaculture tech and fish farm operations. He has worked in Scotland, Ireland, Norway, South Australia and New Zealand, and moved to Tasmania with his wife and family in 201 2, taking on a role with Petuna.

Mr Thomson holds a Master of Science and has represented the aquaculture industry in a number of international forums. Mr Thomson and his family live at Port Sorell. “We are lucky to live and work in such a bountiful place. I have been offered the most wonderful opportunity to learn more about the unique and beautiful land and seascapes of the Cradle Coast region, and I look forward to working with the CCA team, our partners and the wider community on how best to manage these precious resources” said Mr Thomson.

The whole CCA team, and especially the NRM staff, would like to acknowledge and thank Spencer Gibbs for the amazing job he’s done as Regional NRM Manager for the past three years. Spencer will now be focusing on overseeing all of our Regional Land Partnerships projects.

Maree Fudge at Rocky Cape letting people know about the fabulous online survey on marine and coastal well-being.

University of Tasmania researchers, Karen Alexander and Maree Fudge (pictured) are asking residents in Circular Head and King Island how they feel about living by the sea and how it affects their wellbeing.

The researchers anticipate that their study, which is funded by the Australian Government’s Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (www.frdc.com.au), will be used in the future by Tasmanian marine industries and government to help make and monitor decisions about regional development and community well-being.

You can follow the progress of this research on their website www.bluegovernance.com or on their Facebook page @bluegovernancelab.

The survey is open until 21 st September 2020, it takes less than 1 0 minutes to complete.

Karen and Maree strongly encourage anyone with strong connections to the coast and the water to have their say.

The survey can be done here www.app.maptionnaire.com/en/81 23/ at

Round 4 of the Smart Farms Small Grants are now open! Apply today!

The Australian Government is offering grants valued between $5,000 and $1 00,000 to support one to two-year projects that will help farming, forestry and fishing groups and communities increase their awareness, knowledge, skills and capacity to adopt smart and sustainable agriculture practices.

For more information visit: https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/ For more detailed information about the Rubicon Rice Grass Project tackling Rice Grass the Project Information flyer here: smart-farms

Applications close at11:00pm AEDT, 9 October2020.

Rubicon Rice Grass information flyer available

Looking for fu n d in g ?

The Cradle Coast Authority website now has a ‘Funding Finder’ available for all local businesses, community groups, not-forprofits and individuals. The site provides a comprehensive list of grant and funding opportunities available and is updated daily.

You can register to receive emailed alerts for new grants, save your favourites and access tips to help you apply for grants.

As at late August 2020 there are 30 environment and sustainability grants currently available to agricultural businesses in Australia valued at over $51 4.7 million.

There are also 240 grants currently available to community groups for environmental projects across Australia valued at $1 45.8 billion!

If you have a project in mind for your business or community group have a look and see if there may be funding available to get you started.

www.cradlecoast.com/funding-finder/

at Squeaking Point, Port Sorell, Bakers Beach and Narawntapu National Park, check out To view the Cradle Coast Funding Finder, visit:

www.cradlecoast.com/rice-grass-removalfrom-the-rubicon-port-sorell-estuary/

Native shellfish reef restoration

Plate 2 from Gillies et al (2015): Mixed flat oyster and mussel reef, Georges Bay, Tasmania. (Photo Credit: Chris Gillies)

Have you tasted a native Angasi Oyster? Although Australian oyster-growers currently focus on two species, the Pacific Oyster, and the Sydney Rock Oyster, some farms are experimenting with a third type, the native (or Ostrea angasi “flat”) Angasi Oyster, . For the past few years, those in the know have been able to taste this delicacy at certain restaurants. And by all accounts, it is a unique and delicious addition to the menu.

Outside of the oyster industry, there are others around Australia who are interested in growing Angasi Oysters for another purpose too: ecological restoration.

Prior to European colonisati on, southern Australian coastlines had extensive and important near-shore and estuarine shellfish reef ecosystems. These reefs were habitat for all sorts of fish species and the shellfish themselves would have been providing an important function in filtering water and protecting shorelines from wave action. We know from archaeological records (analysis of shells found in middens) that native reefbuilding shellfish species such as Blue Mussel (Mytilus sp. (Trichomya hirsuta ), Hairy Mussel ), Sydney Rock Oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) and Angasi Oyster, were an important food for First Nations people. On the Cradle Coast, too, records from Hunter Island, Sisters Cave, Rocky Cape and middens on the West Coast show that Angasi Oysters and Hairy Mussels were harvested by Aboriginal people for thousands of years, along with other molluscs like abalone, sea snails and limpets.

European colonisation had a devastating impact on native shellfish reefs. Up to the 1860’s in Tasmania, millions of Angasi Oysters were harvested, at a rate that outstripped their reproduction. At the same time, extensive land clearing caused sedimentation in estuaries which damaged the reefs, and some reefs were directly dredged to use the calcium carbonate shells for building materials. The only healthy native shellfish reef left in Tasmania is in Georges Bay.

The Nature Conservancy, along with other organisations, have been working to reverse the damage, and restore native shellfish reefs. Successful projects in Port Phillip Bay and South Australia have made the news. These projects are re-establishing the ecosystem services that shellfish reefs provide, resulting in economic gains through commercial and recreational fisheries improvements, as well as employment opportunities. Perhaps one of the Cradle Coast’s estuaries could benefit from such a project too?

Information in this article was sourced from Gillies CL, Creighton C and McLeod IM (eds) (2015) Shellfish reef habitats: a synopsis to underpin the repair and conservation of Australia’s environmentally, socially and economically important bays and estuaries; as well as from several of Dr Christine Crawford’s IMAS reports, Sumner’s articles about Oysters in Tasmania, and archaeological reports by Jones (1971), Stockton (1982), Bowdler (1984) and Collett (1996).

Weeds Action Fund

R E G I S T E R Y O U R I N T E R E S T

Whats news?

The next round of the state-wide Tasmanian Weeds Action Fund is on its way. The fund takes a strategic and targeted approach to tackling high priority weeds. A small grants round is set to open in spring.

Another round to support larger-scale, more complex projects will be released later this financial year. Please register your interest ONLINE via the NRM North Weeds Action Fund Contact form and you will be contacted when the guidelines are released or call NRM Engagement Officer Hannah Sadler on 03 6433 8400.

www.nrmnorth.org.au/land/weeds-actionfund/register-your-interest/

Serrated tussock is regarded as one of the worst pasture weeds due to its invasiveness, its competitive nature, and its significant impact on agricultural productivity. It is highly unpalatable to livestock and can lead to loss of condition, and in some cases, death if ingested. In bushland areas, the tussock can outcompete native grasses and reduce biodiversity.

Cradle to Coastlines is the newsletter produced quarterly by the Cradle Coast Authority Natural Resource Management team and is distributed to over 750 readers.

If you would like to spread the word about your next community activity or write a short article about the achievements of your community group, send us the details to include in the next edition of Cradle to Coastlines.

Send to: Anna Wind, awind@cradlecoast.com

Deadline forDecemberedition: 13 November2020.

what Who and more info when

Weed Action Fund

The Threatened Species Bake Off

Dogs' Breakfast Register interest online via www.nrmnorth.org.au/land/weeds-actionfund/register-your-interest/ or call NRM Engagement Officer Hannah Sadler 03 6433 8400.

An invitation to Australians to bake a dessert in the shape of a threatened species to commemorate Threatened Species Day on 7th September. More information is available at www.bit.ly/tsbakeoff

A celebration of responsible dog ownership and information about sensitive bird areas. Contact Kathy Grieveson formore information kathygrieveson@gmail.com Spring 2020

By 7 September 2020

Saturday, 1 0 October 2020

National Threatened Species Day

Round 4 - Smart Farms Small Grants For more information visit: www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/smart-farms 7 September 2020

Applications close 1 1 :00pm AEDT, 9 October 2020

Aussie Backyard Bird Count For more information and to get involved visit 1 9 - 25 October 2020 www.aussiebirdcount.org.au NAIDOC Week www.naidoc.org.au 8 - 1 1 November 2020 Australian Pollinator Week and Citizen Science pollinator count For more information and to get involved visit www.wildpollinatorcount.com/ 8 - 1 5 November 2020 National Landcare Conference Sydney 1 0-1 2 March 2021 Eventsandactivities and Awards See the website for more infomation: www.landcareaustralia.org.au.

1 -3 Spring St, Burnie, Tasmania, 7320 03 6433 8400 www.cradlecoast.com www.facebook.com/CradleCoastNRM/