Working with local industries for a better estuary

There are a number of local industries working in the Lower Hawkesbury Estuary, for whom the health of the river is especially important. In the Hawkesbury we have two key industries: Oyster growers and commercial fishers, in particular estuary prawn trawlers. Council supports these industries, particularly if they hold an Environmental Management System (EMS). An example of this is the Broken Bay Oyster Association who developed an EMS in 2010 and then in 2011 they signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding - 201kb with Hornsby Shire Council on the protection of the estuarine environment. It is the first formalised ongoing partnership between a local government authority and an oyster industry group that recognises their shared goals in protecting water quality.

The agreement benefits the public, the environment and the economy by protecting estuarine health and supporting an environmentally sustainable oyster industry. Both parties seek to responsibly manage estuarine resources on behalf of present and future generations.