Standard Presentation Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting 2023

Time and tide wait for no fish; small-scale tidal migration of oyster-reef associated fishes in NSW estuaries. (#287)

Stephanie Bagala 1 , Melanie Bishop 1
  1. Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia

There is growing investment in oyster reef restoration, aimed at reversing the ~85% loss of global oyster reefs destroyed by historic industrial harvesting. Oyster-reefs not only supported a valued fishery, but provide shelter and food to many other invertebrates and fish, filtration services and stabilised shorelines. Studied censusing fish use of remnant reefs and restoration sites have indicated that oyster reefs can support densities and diversities of fish that equal or exceed those of biogenic habitats like seagrass beds and mangroves, but also determined that many fish species are found across habitat types. Fish community assessments are typically conducted at high tide, and with many remnant reefs intertidal and exposed at low tide, there is need to understand redistribution of fish across the tidal cycle. This study is utilising Remote Underwater Video to assess changes in fish utilisation of key estuarine habitats - oyster-reef, seagrass and sediments - in three New South Wales estuaries, between low and high tide. The results of this study will assist in understanding how oyster reefs contribute to the provision of fish habitat in the estuarine seascape, and how oyster-reefs can best be conserved and restored alongside other estuarine habitats to maximise ecological benefits.