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Shell bed reefs
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 12:08 pm
by re-tyred
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-09/ ... a/11681904
This is needed in the Gippsland lakes and other estuaries around Vic. It would be particularly beneficial in the deep sand channels between Metung and Lakes Entrance.
There used to be many areas in the lake that had mussel beds on the bottom, they along with the seagrass are almost gone.
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:18 am
by CannonsJS
That'd be great. Looks like there could possibly be some in the area on their 'potential' map.
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2019 9:35 pm
by fishnut
Now this is something I would donate to
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:56 am
by Sebb
Its a long term game worth trying. Only been a while and we already see something.
I wonder where is this secret 9m water location
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 2:28 pm
by hornet
re-tyred wrote: ↑Sun Dec 01, 2019 12:08 pm
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-09/ ... a/11681904
This is needed in the Gippsland lakes and other estuaries around Vic. It would be particularly beneficial in the deep sand channels between Metung and Lakes Entrance.
There used to be many areas in the lake that had mussel beds on the bottom, they along with the seagrass are almost gone.
Any thoughts or data on why the disappearance of mussel and weed ?
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 4:30 pm
by re-tyred
The weed is an easy one. It is a combination of, too many swan, European shore crab and boats chopping it up. The swans were once part of the diet, both young birds and eggs of the aboriginal people and Europeans up till the around the 1960s. They are noe in plague proportions. Swans feed by pulling up the weed and eating the crustaceans on it. European shore crab cut off the weed from the bottom , not sure why. Boats chop it up when the travel through the shallower areas.
Mussels tend to come and go due to salinity. Quick floods can kill them off. They come back in time, but they need structure to grow on. The changes in the lake system environment has caused sand movement around the Metung to lakes area and the base structure has been either covered or washed away. Some of this is due to forming up the channel areas with rocks, dredging and other human made changes. If shell bed structure was established in the more stable areas 5-10 meters metung to kalimna and in lake king then there would be a chance of the bottom in those area becoming good habitat.
What I am saying is you can't restore the areas that now have shifting sand, but you can establish a similar environment in spot close bye that are more stable.
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:24 pm
by Tackleberry
re-tyred wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2019 4:30 pm
The weed is an easy one. It is a combination of, too many swan, European shore crab and boats chopping it up. The swans were once part of the diet, both young birds and eggs of the aboriginal people and Europeans up till the around the 1960s. They are noe in plague proportions. Swans feed by pulling up the weed and eating the crustaceans on it. European shore crab cut off the weed from the bottom , not sure why. Boats chop it up when the travel through the shallower areas.
Mussels tend to come and go due to salinity. Quick floods can kill them off. They come back in time, but they need structure to grow on. The changes in the lake system environment has caused sand movement around the Metung to lakes area and the base structure has been either covered or washed away. Some of this is due to forming up the channel areas with rocks, dredging and other human made changes. If shell bed structure was established in the more stable areas 5-10 meters metung to kalimna and in lake king then there would be a chance of the bottom in those area becoming good habitat.
What I am saying is you can't restore the areas that now have shifting sand, but you can establish a similar environment in spot close bye that are more stable.
Yep i cant even take swan eggs any more ...... they make the best omelettes and sponge cakes
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:11 am
by Wolly Bugger
Tackleberry wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:24 pm
Yep i cant even take swan eggs any more ...... they make the best omelettes and sponge cakes
I thought that was Emu eggs!
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:40 am
by 4liters
Wolly Bugger wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:11 am
Tackleberry wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:24 pm
Yep i cant even take swan eggs any more ...... they make the best omelettes and sponge cakes
I thought that was Emu eggs!
Look what the cat dragged in, I thought you’d drowned or something
Re: Shell bed reefs
Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 8:59 am
by DougieK
White buckets at the ready in case we find one...
