ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY

Australia's Oyster Coast operates under estuary-wide oyster Environmental Management Systems to increase industry sustainability and profitability. Oyster growers in all major oyster growing estuaries in the region now operate to an environmental management system. This system is a simple yet powerful approach to environmental management where farmers identify all environmental issues that pose a risk to their business and the wider catchment, and then systematically work to address those risks through on-the-ground action. These actions vary from upgrading to more environmentally friendly infrastructure, to raising awareness of catchment issues in local communities.

​

The benefits of the environmental management systems are already being noticed among farmers. Aside from the environmental advantages of moving to cleaner production methods, the environmental management systems are bringing individual farmers together to tackle issues as a united group. There is no other area in Australia and possibly the world that can make this claim. It therefore presents an opportunity for oyster growers to build on this achievement by branding themselves as the most environmentally sustainable oyster growing region in the world.