The person building bridges between oyster farmers and local communities

Meet Andy Myers of OceanWatch and Oysters Australia

An oyster can only be as good as the water it’s grown in. Which is why Andy Myers’ interest in water quality has been important in helping the Australian oyster industry flourish.

The 41-year-old aquaculture program manager at OceanWatch has been involved with the not-for-profit organisation for over a decade. According to Col Bridges of SmartOysters, Andy is a “true champion for the industry.”

Andy busy sorting oysters during a field visit

“Water quality has always been my thing,” Andy says.

“I did a marine science degree and a Masters in coastal management and, for me, the true value of science is at the applied level which is why I work with industry. To be able to work with the oyster industry is a great privilege.”

What started out as an environmental risk management role has broadened into a wider industry position where Andy connects farmers to networks and information, they might not have access to.

“I think I know enough farmers and bureaucrats and how the system works that I can take phone calls from worried farmers and connect the dots for whatever they need, whether that’s grants that might be available or tell them who they should contact for a particular issue,” Andy says.

OceanWatch is a not-for-profit registered environment charity that was born out of the seafood industry over 30 years ago.

“Peter Doyle, of Doyle’s Seafoods in Sydney, was one of the founding fathers back in the late 80s. At that time there were high profile issues of water quality around Sydney and he saw it in the lens of a seafood retailer - in order to have great seafood, the environment it grows in needs to be of optimum quality. OceanWatch was set up to be the environmental watchdog for the industry. Fisherman and aquaculture farmers are out on the water every day and are our eyes and ears. They report back to us, flag any issues and we follow-up on their behalf,” Andy says.

“One of the biggest benefits is that because we’re not a government agency, we’re more agile and flexible in what we can do. Things like the Australian Oysters Facebook page has over 1,000 members - it’s not something you can do easily if you’re a state government department.”

OceanWatch Team: Simon Rowe, Siobhan Threlfall, Claire Denamur, Michael Wooden, Emilie Swan (Intern), Andy Myers, & Lowri Pryce (photo by OceanWatch)

Andy says the biggest issue in NSW is that the oyster industry operates in a very congested space.

“People live on the banks of estuaries and want to recreate in the waterway, and for the industry this manifests in a risk to water quality risk.  You can never have complete control of the environment There is also the concept of social license, having the backing of the community to farm with minimal regulation,” Andy says.

“The industry has revolutionised the way it farms in the last decade, a lot of the old systems (stick and tray farms) have been phased out and while the new systems (floating baskets, FlipFarm etc) have a lower environmental footprint, they’re now visible the complete tidal cycle. If the local community isn’t onboard with what you’re doing, there’s a perception it’s an eyesore and creates tension.

“We need to bring the community along with us, educate them about where the industry has been, where it’s going and create a compelling narrative to support the industry. Most oyster farms are located regionally, and the industry provides huge environmental, social and economic benefits to the community.

“Not a lot of the public know about the full suite of environmental benefits that oyster farming provides, such as habitat creation, nutrient uptake and wave buffering quality. We want to change that.”

Andy describes his position as a catch-all for the things that fall between the cracks. If an oyster farmer has an issue and doesn’t know where to go, invariably they’ll end up speaking to Andy.

“I love working with industry and providing a tangible benefit. There’s flexibility in my position to be able to change priorities and respond when there is an urgent issue,” he says.

A recent example of Andy’s work is the Tide to Tip initiative, which mobilized over 19 oyster farm estuaries and 250 people to clean their local waterway during a two-week period last year, collecting 12 tons of rubbish.

Tide to Tip: Oyster farmers & volunteers sorting debris removed from a NSW waterway in early 2020 (photo by OceanWatch)

It started in Port Stephens four years ago after someone in the community complained about lost oyster gear washing up in mangroves.

“We wanted to show the community that the industry gives a damn. We’re not just taking from the water, we’re giving back. Oyster farmers rely on a healthy environment and they’re in this industry because they love the environment as well,” Andy says.

“Some estuaries invited recreational fishing groups, professional fishermen, state government agencies, community groups and others to get involved. Others wanted to keep it industry only for now until everyone is comfortable opening the doors. Hopefully, over time, this will grow. It’s a way for farmers to connect with their local community and show them how much farmers value the environment they work in.”

Andy also works with Oysters Australia, the national peak body for oyster farmers, which ties in nicely to his role with OceanWatch.

"Oysters Australia directs and invests the research and development contributions by the industry and the government,” Andy says.

“We’re beholden to those levy payers, so the funds go towards things that are going to provide real benefits and profitability to the industry. In the past it has predominantly been breeding programs and understanding diseases that oysters are susceptible to.

You can learn more about OceanWatch by clicking HERE. Oysters Australia's website can be accessed HERE.

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