This project, carried out by Aquasave-Nature Glenelg Trust, engages and educates recreational fishers and the wider community, whilst promoting the iconic Goolwa Cockle and our coastal environment. People are actively engaged as citizen scientists to find tagged cockles at Goolwa Beach. They learn about the ecology and management of this species, how Cockles fit in with the wider coastal ecology, and that they are an important food source for animals, such as oystercatchers, shorebirds, and stingrays.

In the successful 2018 Great Goolwa Cockle Challenge more than 450 registered recreational fishers and the wider community engaged as citizen scientists to recapture the uniquely tagged cockles along Goolwa Beach. During the 2018 field day, participants found 160 of the 2500 uniquely tagged cockles that were released prior to the event.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the 2020/21 event had no field day but instead a video was developed and information on the Great Goolwa Cockle Challenge was promoted through websites, blogs and newsletters, a local radio interview, and a presentation to Investigator College students. Students also assisted in tagging, measuring, and weighing cockles. Cockles were further tagged and released in 2020/21.

Of all the cockles released from 2018 to present, 161 have been found and reported in. Some cockles have been caught almost two years after tagging.

This project was carried out by Aquasave, Glenelg Nature Trust, funded by the Coast Protection Board and supported by Alexandrina Council.