Sustainability

Sustainability is a given throughout everything we do. Like you, we expect the food we eat is safe and responsibly sourced. With growing world populations leading to an increased demand for nutritional protein like seafood, the Australian oyster industry and seafood sector have gone to great lengths over the last decade to focus on sustainability outcomes.

SUSTAINABLE FARMING

Australian oyster farmers are world leaders in the co-management of environmental sustainability, and this presents an opportunity for our industry to build on this achievement by branding themselves as the most environmentally sustainable oyster growing region in the world.

As Australia’s largest producer of Sydney Rock Oysters, we farm responsibly and look after our shared waterways because we want to enjoy quality Australian oysters for generations to come.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

We are serious about the future of the ocean. All our oyster growing estuaries operate under estuary-wide oyster Environmental Management Systems to increase industry sustainability. This system is a simple yet powerful and integrated approach to environmental management where farmers identify 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.

Seagrass meadows and oyster cultivation

Australia's seagrass meadows and modern oyster cultivation is a beautiful partnership that strengthens both ecosystems in our shared estuaries. Seagrass meadows, like the Posidonia meadows pictured here, thrive in the presence of oysters thanks to the remarkable filtering ability of these molluscs.

Oysters clear the water of microscopic plankton, microalgae, excess nutrients and other suspended particles allowing sunlight to better penetrate to the seagrass beds below. This enhanced light fuels seagrass growth. In return, seagrass meadows support oysters by improving water quality, creating a healthy environment for oysters to grow and flourish. This symbiotic relationship even enhances the umami flavour of our oysters, adding depth and richness to the oysters' flavour profile.