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Archive: 2008
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Dugongs attract crowds at Mermaid Lagoon exhibition19 December 2008, The Western Australian Ten-year-old male Pig and four-year-old female Wuru - two of only five dugongs on exhibition in the world - joined the new tropical water habitat this month. The friendly marine mammals share their 28m-long and 18m-wide heated tank with turtles, schooling fish and rays to replicate their natural habitat of northern Australian coastal waters. “It is believed that mermaid myths were born from pirates and sailors sighting dugongs,” Sydney Attractions Group boss Kevin Bush said. The docile herbivores will feed on up to 90kg of cos lettuce daily to replace their natural diet of seagrass. The number of dugongs in the wild are in decline due to the destruction of their natural habitat, boating injuries and drowning in nets.
Image: Mermaid mammals making quite a splash, Cairns Post 20Dec08. Source and article: Click Here
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Dead dugong thought victim of fishing gear03 December 2008, Phuket Gazette LAEM PANWA: More bad news for Phuket’s tiny dugong population came early yesterday morning, when the carcass of an immature female was found floating less than a kilometer offshore from Laem Ka, up the coast from the Sea Gypsy Village in Rawai. Dugong researcher Kanjana Adulyanukosol from the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) said the carcass was recovered at about 6 am by local fisherman Boonlert Sukasem, who brought it to Chalong Pier and notified local conservationist Sutha Prateep na Thalang, who in turn notified the PMBC. The fact that it was still floating indicates it had died no more than about 24 hours before its discovery, Ms Kanjana said. At 167 kilograms and 191 centimeters long, the animal was an immature female about five years old. Dugong reach maturity at about 10 years of age, she said. As for the cause of death, the animal had signs of bleeding abrasions on the head and right side of the body. These were recent but minor injuries, not enough to have been the cause of death on their own. A necropsy performed later that afternoon indicated that the dugong had been feeding well, with a wide variety of seagrasses in both its large and small intestines, she said. PMBC veterinarian Sontaya Manawattana said a clot of pus was found in the mammal’s windpipe and that it had water in its lungs, indicating that the animal suddenly went into shock and drowned. Although the exact cause cannot be confirmed, Dr Songtaya said the most likely cause of the sudden death was that the animal became ensnared in fishing gear and was unable to get to the surface to breath. It is not easy for dugong to drown and there is a lot of abandoned fishing gear in the area where the dugong was found, he said. As the population of dugong in Phuket waters is estimated at only about 10 individuals, the death represents a significant loss in the total population, he said. The PMBC also plans to do a necropsy of another dead dugong found stranded Saturday night at Koh Sikao in Trang, which still has a sizable dugong population. On a more positive note, PMBC researchers observed from a hillside one dugong foraging in Thang Khen Bay, near the PMBC at Laem Panwa on November 29, Ms Kanjana said. Read more on Dugong and research in Thailand in Seagrass-Watch News: Issue 35 Image: The healthy young dugong probably got entangled in fishing gear and drowned, researchers say. Source and article: Click Here
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Qld Govt rejects calls to dump reef protection plan27 November 2008, ABC News The Queensland Government says it will not abandon plans to regulate farm practices to protect the Great Barrier Reef from run-off. In Parliament last night, Opposition spokesman David Gibson proposed the State Government abandon regulation and instead support the Commonwealth's Reef Rescue program, which takes a cooperative approach. Mr Gibson told State Parliament regulation is a backwards step. "To put it very simply, the Commonwealth has got it right, but the State Government is going in the wrong direction," he said. "There is a wide range of activities that must be undertaken and we must collaborate with the agriculture industry to ensure the long-term viability of the reef and the balance of our agricultural industries for future generations." The Queensland Government used its numbers to reject the motion. Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara told Parliament stakeholders are being consulted about the regulations. "The Bligh Government will work with industry, we will work with graziers, we will work with cane farmers," he said. "We will work with all interested stakeholders to get the results that are necessary. "That's why we've got $50 million of extra money on the table because we recognise that more needs to be done, but that a regulatory approach is now essential." Source and article: Click Here
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WSA announces new Management Committee 24 November 2008 President: Michelle Waycott Vice President: Jud Kenworthy Treasurer: Jane Mellors Secretary: Len McKenzie
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Green group fears marine park dredging24 November 2008, ABC News online Conservationists say they are concerned about possible dredging in the Great Sandy Marine Park between Fraser Island and the mainland. The Wide Bay Burnett Conservation Council says the Sustainability Minister is considering changing the marine park boundaries to allow dredging at Dayman Spit, the Burrum River and Wanggoolba Creek at Fraser Island off south-east Queensland. Spokeswoman Emma Currie says allowing dredging in the area would set a bad precedent and would have devastating environmental consequences. "It's going to significantly impact dugong habitat and inshore coral reef both because of the way that dredging the sand causes fine particle matter which will settle as a blanket on the seagrass and on the coral as well. The Sustainability Minister has confirmed he is considering applications for sand dredging at three locations in the Great Sandy Marine Park. But Andrew McNamara says no decisions have been made yet. "This is not remarkable. From time to time issues arise in all national parks about what's the best way to use them, what's the safest way to use them," he said. "I'll consider them on their merits and determine how to use them in due course." Source and article: Click Here
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Talks Begin on Safeguarding Wonders of the 'Coral Triangle'12 November 2008, VOA News.com
The six nations that make up the so-called Coral Triangle in the Asia-Pacific region are working to preserve some of the world's most valuable marine life. The triangle spans the area between East Timor, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports. Delegates from the six Coral Triangle nations are meeting in Townsville in northern Australia. They hope to find ways to improve conservation efforts and to protect the food supplies and livelihoods of millions of people who rely on fishing and tourism. "A significant driver of regional economies estimated to total over $2 billion annually and also in the midst of both those strong environment values, those significant economic benefits, this coral triangle is under extraordinary pressure, not only climate change impacts, potential acidification of the sea there and the raising water temperatures but also coastal development pressures and over-fishing," said Garrett. Australia hopes the talks in Townsville will lead to the creation of the world's largest coral reef conservation program. The Canberra government is willing to share scientific and management expertise and will also consider funding aid. Delegates from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands are attending the conference. Source and article: Click Here Download Mercer report (434 kb MP3)
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Seahorses under threat08 November 2008, nst online The latest survey carried out at the Sungai Pulai estuary near Gelang Patah indicates a bleak future for the seahorse colony already on the brink of destruction. The Johor Malaysia Nature Society said researchers spotted less than five seahorses in a seagrass area near an island at the mouth of the estuary, during their survey. The estuary of Sungai Pulai is a 9,000ha area of mangroves and riverines, with 24 different species of trees. But the area is slowly being destroyed, largely due to the development taking place on the banks of the Tebrau Straits, thus endangering the seahorses' marine habitat. Society vice-chairman Dr Lum Wei Wah said the data provided by the Save Our Seahorses (SOS), a non-governmental organisation showed that the number of seahorses were on the decline. "While there were between eight and 10 seahorses spotted off Pulau Merambong, near the estuary, in March and April, only five were spotted last month." Pulau Merambong is a 0.3ha island situated 3km from Tanjung Kupang in Gelang Patah. The Johor branch of the Malaysia Nature Society will present an environmental research report on the Sungai Pulai estuary and its colony of seahorses. The report is an accumulation of a year-long study on the estuary and its environment. Dr Lum said it would be presented to the state government and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas authority. "It will detail suggestions on dealing with the pollutants that are evident in the waters and mangrove. "So far, we have identified nitrogenous effluent as one of the pollutants and this may affect the population of seahorses downstream. The nitrogen is believed to be from the waste of oil palm estates which border the estuary." The RM60,000 study was commissioned by the port authority, which has allocated funds to have the area gazetted as protected. SOS head and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu marine biology lecturer Choo Chee Kuang said that development around the estuary had destroyed large tracts of seagrass beds, which were home to the seahorses. Source and article: Click Here Related article: Click Here Seagrass-Watch is a partner of SOS Malaysia. Since September 2005, SOS volunteers have used Seagrass-Watch monitoring techniques to monitor the seagrass meadows located between Malaysia and Singapore. Click Here
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Farm group urges reef run-off regulation rethink27 October 2008, ABC Far North Online The Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) says most of the agriculture industry is already working towards best practice to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. The Queensland Government yesterday announced $50 million to protect the reef from agricultural run-off. It follows Premier Anna Bligh's announcement on Friday that regulations will be introduced to improve water quality. QFF spokesman John Cherry says Ms Bligh needs to rethink the announcement. "It's enormously costly for the Government," he said. "How are they going to regulate in a land management context? "If they want to regulate land management practice, then they'll have to first develop the science to actually identify what is the best fertiliser practice for every soil type, every commodity and every district down the coast - we don't even know that yet." Mr Cherry says bad farming practices are already being replaced. "This is the thing which the State Government doesn't understand; regulation will not get us the best practice," he said. "To get farmers the best practice we need to actually get farmers adopting cutting edge technology to making very big investments in their farms to change farm layouts, their fertilisation processes, their sediment traps." Ms Bligh says the Government will continue to work with farmers on the issue. "We can work with farming groups to get the legislation right, but I am not going to back away from the need for us to not only put in place financial assistance but to back that up with regulation where necessary," she said. Meanwhile, Reef Catchment Mackay Whitsundays (RCMW) says it make the most of funding that has been allocated to it by the Federal Government to help clean up the region's waterways. About $6 million will be used to help cane growers undertake risk assessments on their farms and update farming practices to reduce nutrient and chemical run-off into the Great Barrier Reef. RCMW spokesman Will Higham says it is now up to farmers to take up the offer. "I think that the ability of the landholders to use this money wisely will really determine funding in the future, so I think this is really a step in the right direction and now the ball's in our court to show that we can really get on the front foot and deliver something positive." Source and article: Click Here
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Govt to spend extra $50m on Great Barrier Reef26 October 2008, ABC Far North Online
On Friday the Government announced it will introduce new regulations to prevent water pollution caused by farm run-off. Premier Anna Bligh says the funding will help farmers adopt better practices. "Firstly provide direct consultancy work with farmers to identify areas where they need to change," Ms Bligh said. "Some of the funds will go to assisting farmers to implement change practices, some of the funds will be going to monitoring water quality so we can tell whether the new practices are working and whether we need to do more work." The World Wildlife Fund has welcomed the Premier's announcement. Spokesman Nick Heath says immediate action is needed if the reef is to be saved. "I think what we're seeing is a turning point for the reef. I think the $200 million that Minister Garrett has committed to the reef is completely complimentary and in fact indeed the perfect combination of elements with the announcement we've heard from the Premier today," he said. "We don't feel this should be a detrimental imposition on industry, on farmers. We think in the long-term this is going to be good for the sugar industry and the grazing industry because we've only targeted practices that are old, outdated and largely unprofitable." Image courtesy of ABC Source and article: Click Here
Read the background Scientific Consensus Statement on Water Quality in the GBR (1.9Mb) and the Synthesis of evidence (952kb) to support the statement and subsequent decisions
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Indigenous rangers, marine scientists team up to map seabed25 October 2008, ABC Online For the first time, traditional Indigenous knowledge has been combined with the latest technology to map underwater habitats off north-east Arnhem Land. Indigenous sea rangers and Northern Territory marine scientists have this week been using an underwater video camera to map the seabed around Bremer Island off Nhulunbuy. The group's lead scientist, Professor Karen Edyvane, says the information is crucial for managing fisheries, aquaculture and development - and the rangers have a lot to contribute. "It's really important because we know so little about the Northern Territory's marine environments," she said. "We have 3,000 kilometres of coastline, most of which has not been mapped. "Indigenous people, as we know, have had a long customary connection with coastal environment and marine environment and have a lot to offer." Professor Edyvane says one of the best things about the device is that researchers no longer have to get into the water. "The Territory is home to some pretty amazing creatures, but also some which aren't so safe for us in the water," she said. "Particularly the sharks and the crocodiles and the box jellyfish. So it's a very smart way to go in terms of mapping underwater environments particularly deep, murky ones - and being entirely safe." Source and article: Click Here
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WWF supports reef action, farmers unconvinced24 October 2008, ABC News The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says it supports the Queensland Government's plan to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. The Queensland Government says it has to introduce mandatory regulations on the use of chemicals in agriculture to protect the reef. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says voluntary land management has not worked. The plan has been criticised by the Queensland Farmers Federation but WWF says chemical reduction targets must be introduced. Spokesman Nick Health says immediate action is needed. "There's about 700 reefs slowly dying from 14 million tonnes of toxic pollution and we've known about it for 10 years," he said. He says a 25 per cent reduction in chemicals reaching the reef is not enough. Mr Health says the Government must provide enough funding for a mandatory regulatory program that leads to a reduction of 50 per cent run-off getting to the reef. But Canegrowers, the peak representative body for Australian sugarcane growers, says it wants financial support from the State Government to implement the new regulations. Canegrowers chief executive Ian Ballantyne says farmers want to adopt new strategies to help the reef but mandatory regulation targets may be difficult to introduce. "I think if I had an issue, it really is the issue of reef plan and the failure to achieve targets," he said. "Industry was never part of reef plan, it's a government to government arrangement, the targets set by reef plan were never set in consultation with industry, let me assure you. "If government moves to establish regulation targets, let me assure you, I think they'll be equally unsuccessful." The Queensland Farmers Federation has accused the State Government of picking a fight with farmers by introducing the regulations. Chief executive John Cherry says farmers have invested money and infrastructure to reduce run-off into the reef. "We have a 20 per cent reduction in fertiliser application rates over the last decade and we think we can reduce them by another 20, 25 per cent over the next decade," he said. He says farming across the reef catchments is worth $5 billion a year and strategies supporting sustainable farming instead of mandatory regulations are needed. Source and article: Click Here
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$23m to go to protecting Barrier Reef from farming24 October 2008, ABC News The Queensland Government has defied the wishes of agricultural groups and signalled the introduction of legislation to limit farmers' impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has told a summit in Brisbane that the Government will spend $23 million to reduce agriculture damaging the reef. Mr Garrett says the amount of chemicals in agricultural run-off must be reduced by 25 per cent by 2013. He told the summit there is scientific evidence that human activity is killing the reef, and better land management strategies are needed. "We will provide grants to accelerate and expand efforts to improve agricultural land-management practices and build upon partnerships with land managers to assist them to make changes," he said. "We will also invest in research and development to improve our understanding of the link between land-management practices and their environmental impacts." Queensland Premier Anna Bligh also addressed the summit, warning that human activity could kill the reef within decades. Ms Bligh says the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen in agricultural run-off is more than four times the level before European settlement. She says the management strategy developed five years ago to protect the Reef is not working and the State Government will consider a regulatory framework. "There are people who will have a great deal of difficulty with that but I need to put it in context," she said. "Can I honestly sit here with my responsibilities as the Premier of Queensland and say [after] five years of voluntary effort, science is telling me it doesn't work and then take no further action?" Before the summit Agforce president John Cotter had warned against legislation, saying farmers were working with conservationists and the Federal Government to reduce farm run-off to the reef. "The last thing that will get the best outcome for the reef is to have a series of blunt instruments or regulatory tools imposed on both not only the agricultural industry but the development industry," he said. Source and article: Click Here
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Bay waters go 16% green: critics demand more, and less19 October 2008, Brisbane Times The Bligh government has unveiled "no-fishing" green zone areas across 16 per cent of Moreton Bay Marine Park, drawing criticism from both conservationists and the commercial fishing industry. The Marine National Park zone "green areas", which stretch 125 kilometres from Caloundra to the Gold Coast Seaway, will be off-limits to both recreational and commercial fishermen from March 1 next year. A further seven per cent of Moreton Bay has also been ruled off-limits to commercial trawlers, under conservation park zones. "We need to get serious about looking after this very precious ecosystem and this massive boost to protection will do just that," Ms Bligh said. "Moreton Bay is at risk of being loved to death. "We want to make sure that by protecting the sensitive breeding grounds and habitat areas of the sea life of this precious environment that it will be there for the future." Ms Bligh said the rezoning would protect 20 per cent of sensitive seagrass beds, which she dubbed the "nurseries" of the Moreton Bay marine life. However, Greens MP Ronan Lee slammed the plan, arguing the rezoning was a cowardly compromise and that there needed to be at least 30 per cent in green zones to secure the ongoing existence of local marine wildlife. "The government has effectively condemned the Bay to a slow death," Mr Lee said. Minister for Sustainability Andrew McNamara said the new plan was in line with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) conservation estimates, and they would conduct a five-year scientific monitoring program with a full review planned in 10 years. The government is expecting a 20 per cent fallout across the commercial fishing industry, as a result of the new green zones and has announced a $15.1 million compensation package for those with commercial fishing licenses. Mr MacNamara said he expected slmost one quarter of commercial fishing operators in Queensland to leave the industry once the zoning becomes effective. However, Queensland Seafood Industry Association (QSIA) vice president Robin Hansen said ambiguous details of the compensation package could result in an immediate mass exodus of commercial fishermen. "Commercial fishing licensees won't wait to go under without adequate compensation," Mr Hansen said. Premier Bligh said the government would begin an educational campaign on the no-take areas for all fishermen, confirming there would be no grace period after March 1. Fishermen dropping a line in green zones will be issued a $370 on-the-spot fine, with the maximum penalty amounting to $1500. Ms Bligh said the government would be ramping up enforcement of Moreton Bay by employing eight extra EPA officers, and buying two new boats and three new jet skis. The education campaign will include signage around green zone areas and boating ramps. Source and article: Click Here
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Qld farmers may face new rules on Reef08 October 2008, The Age Farmers may face tougher regulations after a report found agricultural run-off was killing the Great Barrier Reef, with some sections already irreversibly damaged. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh on Wednesday released a report into the water quality of the reef in 2007, saying the diagnosis was "not good". According to the report, 6.6 million tonnes of sediment had been discharged into the reef - four times higher than estimated pre-European settlement levels. Despite financial incentives for farmers to improve land management, 16,600 tonnes of nitrogen and 4,180 tonnes of phosphorous was flushed into the reef. Ms Bligh said the state government had spent $25 million a year to protect the reef since a joint state and federal Reef Water Quality Action Plan was launched in 2003. Following a meeting with federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett on Monday, state cabinet had agreed to give the plan "more grunt", with a revised intergovernmental agreement ahead of a significant revision of the reef plan, she said. "The reality is the reef will die if we do not act," she said. To help determine funding priorities, a joint commonwealth and state reef summit will be held in Brisbane later this month, bringing together environmentalists and scientists. Ms Bligh said the summit would look at whether tough mandatory regulations were needed to make farmers improve their land management practices. "We are already seeing irreparable damage to our reef so the time to act is now," she said. " this material leaves us no choice and if it means taking some hard decisions then we'll take them." She said the effects of urban populations, mining, tourism and other sectors on the reef would also be looked into to protect what was an important environmental and multi-billion dollar tourism asset. The WWF supported regulations to stop outdated farm practices. "We have known for years the reef's water quality breaches national water guidelines and the time for action is overdue," WWF spokesman Nick Heath said. "Real leadership is required on this issue and I hope the premier is serious about preserving the reef for future generations. "She has said the reef is at risk of dying, so she must act quickly and decisively to stop this from happening." Ms Bligh said the government would want to move on the ideas of the summit "as quickly as possible". Mr Garrett, in response to the Queensland government report, said the federal government was aware of the significant issues facing the Great Barrier Reef. Australians could have confidence that the federal government was getting on with the job of looking after the reef and making sure its natural and economic value was protected, he said. "We have specifically committed $200 million to reef rescue, knowing that we need to provide additional resources, additional investment and additional effort to safeguard (the reef)," Mr Garrett said. Queensland Farmers Federation chief executive officer John Cherry said there had been a 20 per cent cut in use of fertilisers in the past five years, which had a significant impact on the health of the reef. "I will be speaking at the summit and the points I will be saying is that the state government has to put money where its mouth is and invest in incentives for farmers to improve their practices," Mr Cherry said. "It has to be there in terms of its monitoring ... so the best information is coming back to farmers and what impact it's having on the reef. "At the end of the day, they've got to realise that they have to deliver a win-win outcome for farm productivity as well as sustainability." Source and article: Click Here Sediment Plume artcile: Click Here Related links:
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Fla. Group Begins To Restore Damaged Seagrass Beds 07 October 2008, nbc6 A program to restore 4,000 square feet of damaged seagrass beds in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary near the Seven Mile Bridge began on Tuesday. Most shallow-water seagrass damage is caused unintentionally by power boaters who stray outside of navigable channels and plow through shallows leaving trenches and ravaging seagrass, said Dave Score, the sanctuary's superintendent. To repair prop scars, divers placed sediment tubes made of biodegradable cotton and filled with sand and organic material in the scar. The tube quickly disintegrates, releasing calcium carbonate responsible for grass re-growth and a healthy floor bottom. After the sediment tubes are in place, it takes 18 to 24 months for complete grass re-growth, according to Jeff Beggins, president of Seagrass Recovery that is working with The Ocean Foundation, the project's funding source. Beggins said seagrass plays an important part in the overall health of the nation's coastlines, helping address climate change. "People like sitting here (in the Keys), having their conch fritters, watching the fish," said Beggins. "It's all interdependent on the seagrass habitat. "As those go away, you'll see a depleting fishery, fish counts and it all comes down to the state of the overall economy," he said. The Ocean Foundation, which is funding the program from corporate and private contributions, plans additional seagrass restoration efforts in other parts of Florida, New York, California and Washington State. Source and Article: Click Here
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Monitoring the grass of the sea30 July 2008, ABC Gippsland Vic What could possibly entice people into the ocean off South Gippsland on a cold winter's day? Well it's all for the good of science - or more specifically - scientific research into seagrass. Parks Victoria marine ranger Jonathon Stevenson, co-ordinator of a project which involves volunteers in monitoring seagrass meadows in the Corner Inlet area off Port Welshpool, says while a lot of people are familiar with seaweed - marine algae which grows on rocky shorelines - less is known about seagrass, which grows on soft sediment sands and muds and plays a vital role in healthy marine eco-systems. "It's a food source for a number of species, it's also a shelter area for all sorts of species - fish and marine life shelter in among seagrass to get protection from their predators - and what's very important too is it's a nursery area for a lot of juvenile species. One of the most well-known ones is King George Whiting. It's juvenile fish move into the seagrass meadows in the early stage of life, they stay in there for quite some years before they move back around to their breeding grounds out in the ocean." Jonathon says the amazing marine environment in the Corner Inlet area, some of which is protected as a Marine National Park, is reliant on seagrass for the health of fish and bird species which make their home in the area. "The reason we are particularly interested in the Corner Inlet seagrass meadows is because seagrasses here in Corner Inlet really drive the whole eco-system in Corner Inlet - it's a keystone species. "Without seagrasses in Corner Inlet all the natural values we have, all the birds - even on the shore line - they wouldn't be here and that would then flow on to the recreation fishers and commercial fishers who use the area as well, they wouldn't have anything for their pursuits," Jonathon says. He says since monitoring of Corner Inlet's seagrass meadows began, researchers have been able to ascertain that there are some areas of really good quality seagrass, and some areas of poor quality seagrass. "What we are trying to do is build up a picture of 'are these areas stable?' Even if they are in poor quality are they stable and not changing? Or are they continuing to change, by getting worse, or possibly, we always hope, getting better?" He said researchers and volunteer monitors who headed out into the Corner Inlet area on Saturday visited some new monitoring sites, in an expansion of the program. The research involves volunteers, who get out to the monitoring sites by boat, marking out a line in the sea with tape, then off that line they mark out areas of a metre square on which to focus. "When you are working in a great big inlet of multi-thousand hectares, you can actually then just focus down on the one metre square and take measurements within that space. "We'll be measuring the length of the seagrass, counting how many seagrass shoots occur within that metre square and measuring a few other things, like there's a lot of seaweeds that grow at the top of the seagrass. and we will be measuring how dense they are," Jonathon says. While the sea temperature greeting the wet-suited volunteers was a chilly 12 degrees on the weekend, Jonathon says it is not hard to recruit volunteers to the project. "Those who have been before know just how beautiful Corner Inlet is once you get out on the water. They really love that experience of just being able to get to a place that they don't often get to. A lot of people really enjoy being able to actually do something positive, doing something hands on in the way of helping to record information and collect data about the health of marine areas." Images: Volunteers monitor seagrass in Corner Inlet (Image courtsey of Jonathon Stevenson, Parks Victoria) Measuring canopy heights in Corner Inlet (Image courtsey of Jonathon Stevenson, Parks Victoria) For further information on Seagrass monitoring in Corner Inlet visit http://www.seagrasswatch.org/victoria.html Source and article: Click Here
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Valuable seagrasses face global warming threat25 July 2008, GENEVA, (Reuters) Seagrass meadows, which are vital for the survival of much marine life and a source of household materials in Europe and Africa, face a mounting threat from global warming, a report said on Friday. The report, from the Swiss-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said the submerged meadows -- many around the Mediterranean -- could be saved through concerted action by governments and scientists. "Seagrass habitats are already declining due to increasing water temperatures, algae (seaweed) growth and light reduction, which are all effects of global change," said IUCN specialist Mats Bjork, one of the authors of the report. The report said the grass -- flowering plants found in shallow waters around the globe -- provides food and shelter for prawn and fish populations and is used traditionally as mattress filling, roof covering and for medicines. If much of it were to disappear, a wide range of species -- including dugongs, sea turtles, sea urchins and seabirds who feed on it -- would also come under increased threat, according to the report. The report said some of the healthiest seagrass areas known to exist today were off the North African coast of Libya and Tunisia in areas where there had been little industrial or tourism development. Carl Gustaf Lundin, head of IUCN's Global Marine Programme, said the meadows could be saved by making seagrass more resilient to climbing temperatures through mixing genetically more diverse populations. The report, issued at a conference in Barcelona, said the introduction of protected areas and linking the underwater meadows to nearby mangrove plantations or coral reefs would also give a huge boost to their chances of survival. Lundin said it was also vital to extend research into how seagrass can be protected -- a effort already promoted by IUCN that would require governments and scientific institutions to devote resources and time. Download full report [195kb] Image: Posidonia oceanica meadow in the NW Mediterranean. Photo by M Sanfélix Source and Article: Click Here
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Local eco-groups now draw sponsors11 June 2008, TODAYonline
Article by Neo Chai Chin Source and Article: Click Here
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June 8 is World Oceans DayWorld Ocean Day (WOD) provides the opportunity to evaluate perspective, learn about ocean creatures and habitats, and ways to become a caretaker. Think about this: - the ocean helps regulate climate and produces about 50 percent of Earth's oxygen; On this Day of the Oceans, let us - - Change the way we look at oceans -what the sea means to us, and what it can give. - Do something positive for the oceans - by finding ways we can alter our daily lives to conserve the oceans and reduce the our impacts on its fragile ecosystems Celebrate the 13th Annual World Ocean Day by organizing or participating in activities that celebrate our world ocean that connects us all. Check The Ocean Project site for a list of ways your organization can celebrate World Ocean Day (WOD) For further information: www.theoceanproject.org/wod/2008events.php.
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World Environment Day5 June 2008 World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy. Recognising that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. The World Environment Day will highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption. On this World Environment Day, let us examine the state of our environment. Let us consider carefully the actions which each of us must take, and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving all life on earth in a mood of sober resolution and quiet confidence. For further information: http://www.unep.org/wed/2008/english/ |
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Editorial: Petrochemicals and seahorses4 June 2008, New Straits Times PENINSULAR Malaysia's latest environmental cause celebre is surfacing in the Sungai Pulai estuary, an internationally recognised area of wilderness now threatened by industrial development. Overseen by the Port of Tanjung Pelepas authority, a RM2 billion petrochemical plant is slated to rise on more than 2,000 hectares upstream of the estuary, to supply the needs of the huge new manufacturing concerns anticipated for southern Johor. With the proposed petrochemical plant a crucial base for manufacturing enterprises in gases and solvents, paints and varnishes, fertilisers and pesticides, waste and sewage treatment and a host of other such activities, it seems a faux pas for the PTP to contend the proposed plant will cause little or no degradation to the natural environment of Johor's southwest coast. This area is environmentally unique. Internationally recognised as a wetlands site of significant biodiversity, the Sungai Pulai estuary's mangrove forest reserve is among the country's most extensive. Moreover, the estuary debouches onto expansive seagrass beds that are the natural habitat for the charming creature that has become the symbol of resistance to plans for industrial development there: the spotted seahorse, Hippocampus kuda, its Malay species name endearing it even more to locals. Although the project's sponsors insist they will comply with the dictates of the project's environmental impact assessment, it would be thoroughly disingenuous to suggest that all damaging effects on this ecosystem will be minimised into irrelevance. Such confident assurances have rung increasingly hollow over the years, as the long-term outcomes of coastal development projects on the mainland and offshore islands have tended to prove environmentalists right and developers wrong. Yes, land-clearing did raise algal loads in waters around Pulau Perhentian and damage reefs around Pulau Redang. No, it wasn't possible to simply "transplant" an entire coral reef alive in Pulau Tioman. And yes, the Sungai Pulai project will affect the mangroves, the seagrass beds and their seahorses, as well as the birds, fish and marine mammal populations there. The estuary has already suffered considerable declines in fish and prawn stocks in recent years. A petrochemical plant upstream will hardly help restore them. The trade-off, of course, is the billions of ringgit anticipated in recompense for the Iskandar Malaysia project; an ambitious programme carrying with it the economic hopes of the peninsular south for the rest of this century. This is the conundrum at the heart of the matter, not whether or not this will be good for seahorses. Make no mistake: it won't be. Source and Article: Click Here
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Developer Allays Fears Over Project3 June 2008 KUALA LUMPUR: The developer of a petrochemical plant and maritime centre at Sungai Pulai estuary has stated that it will not lead to environmental degradation along the Johor coastline. The developer, Seaport Terminals, said the projects would incorporate strategies to reduce the possibility of damage to the surroundings. Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) chairman Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said the company was complying with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements on toxic waste, including building a centralised industrial waste and sewerage treatment plant. The RM2 billion petrochemical plant and maritime centre is expected to attract more than RM15 billion of direct foreign investments in Johor. Mohd Sidik was responding to claims by environmentalists that more than 2,000ha of mangrove forests along Sungai Boh, Sungai Chengkih and Sungai Dinar areas were in danger of destruction due to the construction of the petrochemical plant and maritime centre. Detractors of the projects had also claimed that a vast seagrass bed housing the largest seahorse population in Malaysia was in danger of being destroyed. A non-governmental organisation called Save our Seahorses (SOS) had even set up a website opposing the development and listing possible causes of destruction to the environment. SOS head and University Malaysia Terengganu marine biology lecturer Choo Chee Kuang said massive development around the estuary had destroyed large tracts of seagrass beds, which was home to the Spotted Seahorse or Hippocampus kuda, which faces extinction. He also claimed that a Ramsar wetlands site adjacent to the proposed site would be affected. The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 is an inter-governmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international co-operation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. While agreeing that about 2,000ha of forest would be destroyed, Mohd Sidik said there were plans to protect as much seagrass beds as possible. The largest seagrass bed was located off Pulau Merambong, an island outside the Sungai Pulai estuary. The island will be adopted by the PTP, which will try to have it gazetted it as a marine sanctuary. As for seagrass beds located upstream of Sungai Pulai, he said that specific mitigation plans, as required under the EIA, would be carried out. "We will use silt nets along the river to prevent pollution at the upstream area during the development process." With regard to allegations regarding the Ramsar site, Mohd Sidik said 80 per cent of the planned development area had a natural buffer of about 1.5km. "Also, only about 20 per cent of the planned area borders the Ramsar site. For this area, we have complied with the EIA requirements for the development of an eco-park, which will also act as a buffer zone." SOS also claimed that villagers around the development area were worried about the possible effects of the projects on their livelihood. Tan Khin Thong, a villager from nearby Kampung Simpang Arang and the head of the Orang Asli Seletar Fishermen's Association, said run- off from the plant may affect the water. As it is, much of the port's development had affected their catch. "We used to catch a hundred ringgit worth of fish a day, now we are lucky if we can catch RM20 worth," he said. As an alternative, the villagers go hunting for wild boar so that they can sell the meat, said Tan, adding that the Orang Asli had been fishing in the area since the 1940s. Seaport Terminals, on the other hand, has pledged that the projects will not lead to adverse effects on the local community or environment. "When we built the PTP, we also built a new township for the villagers. They were also given a new and modern jetty for their fishing activities." Those whose land had been affected by the development of the port had been compensated between RM250,000 and RM350,000 pe r acre, Mohd Sidik said. He added that villagers affected by the projects would also be taken care of. Article by Nisha Sabanayagam Source and article: Click Here |
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Vital marine, coastal ecosystems in danger2 June 2008, Viet Nam News Agency
Image: Con Tau Seagrass-Watch site. Photo by Gail Begbie Source and Article: Click Here |
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MPA monitoring workshop held28 May 2008. Marianas Variety A community-based Marine Protected Area (MPA) monitoring capacity building workshop was held recently. The Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) hosted the event where at least 12 participants attended the five -day workshop. The workshop which was held from May 19 to 23, focused on the capacity assessment and the need for monitoring. PICRC said that since 1990 there are over 20 MPAs throughout Palau. Since Palau has some of the most diverse coral reef system in the world, there are threats, PICRC said. Since Palau’s bread and butter is its environment, Palau is trying to conserve marine resources which are the source of pride for Palauans and source of income for the country. PICRC said that Palau has been practicing conservation know as “bul” or traditional way of prohibition from collecting certain species at certain location or by season. PICRC said that Palau continues to protect in environment for example in 2003, a legislation known as the Protected Areas Network Act was enacted to establish a framework for establish a system of protected areas (terrestrial and marine) throughout Palau. In 2005, the political leaders of Miconesian islands, including Palau issues a Micronesian Challenge, which basically aims at protecting 30 percent of marine and 20 percent of terrestrial areas in each jurisdiction under effective management. PICRC said that to ensure that these efforts of both local and regional government continue to satisfy the needs of the community, conservation require scientific and unbiased data to show that their MPAs have been working. PICRC said the purpose of this project is to collect biological data on four MPA (Ngelukes, Bkulangril, Ngermasch, and Airai) to assess whether the closure has had an effect on fish abundance, size, and biomass. PICRC added that the study also proposed to involve community members in the monitoring of their MPA so that they can have a first hand look at what their MPA is like. “ All these MPA are strictly no take no entry zone, and many community members have not had the chance to see the reefs following their closure and so this will give them that opportunity to see and hopefully spread the word in the community,” the center said. The workshop also discussed field survey methodology such as seagrass taxonomy, fish taxonomy and setting up of seagrass monitoring site, in Ngelukes and deploy sediment traps. Source and Article: Click Here |
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Ao Phuket hearing changed to Thursday27 May 2008, Phuket Gazette - Phuket,Thailand PHUKET CITY: The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) and Phuket Province will hold a public hearing on Thursday, May 29 to gauge local response to the plan to move forward with the Ao Phuket megaproject, a 100-million-baht marina and convention center on 3,000 rai of reclaimed land in Phuket Bay. The meeting has been moved up one day from its previously scheduled date of May 30. The general public is welcome. At the meeting DASTA representatives will explain and discuss the details of the project, including its advantages and disadvantages. When asked about the project by the Gazette, biologist Kanjana Adulyanukosol of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) said she was not aware of the upcoming hearing, but thought that some of her colleagues at the PMBC would attend to discuss the potential environmental impacts of the scheme. K. Kanjana, Thailand’s leading researcher on the endangered dugong population in Phang Nga Bay, said there had been recent but sporadic sightings of dugong in Phuket Bay, which is part of the dugong’s normal migration route along the island’s west coast. The marine mammals feed almost exclusively on seagrass. According to her own surveys, dugong still migrate from Pa Khlok to as far south as Koh Taphao Yai at the south end of Phuket Bay – and sometimes further south into Chalong Bay. “In the past Phuket Bay had seagrass beds. I am not sure not sure how good they were, but much better than they are now. Silt and clay from sea tin mining caused the sea bottom to harden and many species of seagrasses in the area died out as a result,” she said. “Nowadays there are only small patches of one or two seagrass species in Phuket Bay, at the south end off the coast near the Ao Num Bor School in Wichit municipality,” she said. K. Kanjana last surveyed the area about 10 years ago with seagrass expert and PMBC colleague Sombat Poovachiranon, who said at the time that these few remaining seagrass beds might not survive with an increase in sedimentation in Phuket Bay. Although unfamiliar with the exact details of the project, K. Kanjana doubted that the high-ranking politicians pushing for it had a true understanding of “environmentally sustainable” tourism – or what the project’s real environmental ramifications would be. They are probably more focused on short-term economic benefits, she said. The hearing will be held in the Jamjuree Room at the Phuket Merlin Hotel, starting at 1:30 pm. Source and Article: Click Here |
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Unravelling splendour of sex in the seagrass23 May 2008, Courier Mail IT'S sex ed for dugongs. Researchers from the University of Queensland and Sea World have joined forces to develop strategies to accurately assess the reproductive status of wild dugongs in Moreton Bay.
Article by Jeremy Pierce
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University researches dugong health22 May 2008. ABC NewsOnline Experts say half of all dugong deaths in Queensland waters remain a mystery. The University of Queensland is working with Sea World in Moreton Bay to find the best way of monitoring the reproductive status of wild dugongs. The leader of UQ's dugong research team, Dr Janet Lanyon says they are concerned that human activity on the bay is affecting the health of the animals. "We're not sure whether there might be some sorts of diseases in the dugong population or if there's some other health problems," she said. "This project is giving us some sort of base-line data on the health of the animal." Source and Article: Click Here |
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Nitrogen Loss In Seagrass Fields Is Retained By Animals And Microorganisms In Ecosystem22 May 2008, ScienceDaily
Seagrass fields are coastal ecosystems with important functions for coastal stability and fish populations. The collection and grazing of seagrass leaves is the most important nitrogen flow in these fields. Nitrogen is an important nutrient for organisms and the production of seagrass leaves requires large quantities of nitrogen. However, the leaf has a short lifespan and as it dies off, little of the nitrogen is retained by the plant. Leaf loss therefore also means considerable nitrogen loss for the plant. Animal species that live amongst the seagrass can influence the export and dynamics of seagrass leaves. The most important grazers of seagrass fields are sea urchins, shrimps and fish. Shrimps, for example, retain nutrients by collecting the leaf material. Their holes can therefore form an important source of nutrients that can once again become available for uptake by seagrasses. Human influences Coastal floors can be stabilised by the extensive root systems of the seagrass fields. Seagrass fields also function as a hiding place and breeding ground for many vertebrate and invertebrate animal species. Due to an increasing human pressure on the coastal system, many seagrass fields are disappearing worldwide. The increasing pressure is noticeable by the increase in nutrients and sediment in the water and the widespread exploitation of the ecosystems. The research results are interesting for managers and conservationists of tropical coastal areas. Seagrass fields are important ecosystems for the fishing industry and therefore for food supplies. In addition to this, seagrass fields ensure stabilisation of the coast, an important characteristic in view of rising sea levels and coastal erosion. Source and Article: Click Here |
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Eye on seagrass21 May 2008, Bowen Independent BOWEN will be keeping a close eye on its marine plant life following the establishment of a Community Seagrass-Watch site last Saturday. The site is the result of a successful workshop by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. Community members Nan Hansen, Helen Nicholas, Ivan Garrod, Tom Stanley and Lynne Pilgrim, backed up by parents and youth of the Bowen Scouts, have established a working group to monitor a portion of the seagrass beds at Front Beach. Bowen Scout's group leader Lesley Bullemor said the site, BW02, was the second monitoring site on Front Beach, the first being part of the curriculum of Bowen State School Grade 7 students and supervised by teacher Ian Haworth. "This second sites provides additional information to support data supplied by Bowen State School students," Ms Bullemor said. "The group is open to any interested members of the community."
Photo: Participating in the first monitoring of seagrass site BW02 at Bowen's Front Beach, kneeling from left, Naomi Smith and Billie Trott, middle, Nan Hansen, Dustin Matheson, Sam Grant, Emma Trott, Arinda Susanti, Tom Stanley, Billy Lockie, back, Sue Matheson, Ivan Garrod, Wendy Trott, Tim Hart, Kelly Jacobs, Brendan Grant, Robyn Bullemor, Helen Nicholsa, Lesley Bullemor, Lynne Pilgrim, Jane Mellors and Michael Bullemor. Absent Iony Woolaghan. Front page: Dustin helps keep watch. Dustin Matheson takes a close up look at seagrass at Bowen’s Front Beach last Saturday as part of the new Community Seagrass-Watch team. Community Members, backed up by parents and youth of the Bowen Scouts, have established the working group to monitor a portion of the seagrass beds, known as site BW02. The group joins the efforts of Bowen State School Grade 7 students, who are also monitoring the area. Any interested members of the community are welcome to join in. See story Page 6. |
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Volunteers Change Our World12 May 2008 National Volunteer Week (NVW) will be held from the 12th to 18th May 2008. The theme of NVW is “Volunteers Change Our World”. National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to highlight the role of volunteers in our communities and to say thank you to the more than 5 million Australians who volunteer. National Volunteer Week (NVW) began in 1989 and was the first collaborative attempt to promote volunteering nationally. Volunteering Australia (VA) is the national peak body for volunteering and as such is responsible for setting the date and theme for NVW, and provides the range of resources and promotional items to members, usually in partnership with sponsors. Historically NVW has focused on recruitment and provided a national focus for volunteer based organisations wanting to recruit volunteers. However, extensive research after NVW 07 has seen the focus change to be one of celebrating volunteering and thanking volunteers. This year’s theme underpins that change in strategic focus – “Volunteers change our world”. Organisations that have volunteers, including organisations with a corporate volunteering program, are encouraged to embrace NVW and celebrate the achievements of your volunteers. As volunteering continues to grow we need to be more aware of the need to recognise what volunteers contribute to our world. There are many charities that would struggle to survive without the contribution of their volunteers. Major corporate organisations are also recognising what their staff can achieve as volunteers and encourage participation. VA can assist with corporate volunteering programs. Find out how you can celebrate NVW 2008 www.volunteeringaustralia.org/nvw
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Dugong trails galore.08 May 2008, Seagrass-Watch HQ News
You may not see them, even though they are as big as a cow. But if you look closely during low tide you may find evidence of their feeding. We're referring of course to dugongs. The large herbivourous marine mammal lives in the tropical waters of Australia. This year, their grazing trails are more obvious, leaving a bigger imprint on the seagrass meadows of the Far North. Often referred to as 'sea cows' (their diet consists mainly of seagrass), dugongs feed by digging furrows in the sea-floor with their snouts and uprooting seagrass. Seagrass-Watch scientists have reported a higher than usual occurrence of Dugong Feeding Trails (DFT) at a number of Seagrass-Watch and Reef Water Quality Protection Program (RWQPP) monitoring sites across the Far North. "Whether the higher incidence of dugongs feeding intertidally is due to more animals, the unusually high seagrass abundance or a consequence of diminished subtidal meadows is unkown, as no monitoring occurs in subtidal waters and dugong numbers are not monitored as regularly as seagrass", DPI&F principal scientist and Seagrass-Watch Program leader Len McKenzie said. "The level of dugong grazing at Yule Point (20mins north of Cairns, Far North Qld) was so high that some sections of the meadow were virtually decimated of seagrass", Mr. McKenzie reported. At Lugger Bay (Mission Beach), dugong feeding trails were also reported for the first time in the seagrass meadow since monitoring was established in May 2005. Seagrass at Lugger Bay was nearly wiped out by Tropical Cyclone Larry in early 2006. Since then, seagrass abundance has recovered to pre-cyclone levels. In Townsville, Seagrass-Watch monitoring teams have also spotted dugong feeding trails in the meadows of Picnic Bay, DPI&F biologist and Seagrass-Watch scientist Dr. Jane Mellors reported. So next time you are wandering across the seagrass meadows of the Far North, keep a look out for those DFTs! Healthy seagrass = Healthy dugongs! Images(right): Dugong Feeding trails at Lugger Bay (Mission Beach) Source Seagrass-Watch HQ
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A new star for Singapore: discovery of sea star03 May 2008, Straits Times SINGAPORE has a new star to call its own. This large five-rayed sea star is not new to science, but it is a new and spectacular addition to Singapore's already substantial inventory of living stars. Lacking a common name but known in the marine science world as Pentaceraster mammillatus, it is in the same family as the more familiar cushion star and the knobbly sea star, which are still quite common on Singapore's remaining reefs.
The sea star was first sighted early last month on a seagrass monitoring trip at Cyrene reef, run by volunteer group TeamSeagrass and staff from the National Biodiversity Reference Centre of the National Parks Board (NParks). The specimen baffled those who found it, all of whom had their own version of what to name the new find - which was at once familiar, yet strangely alien. Names like 'Darth Vader star' and 'knobbly-wannabe' were bandied about as the group debated what it could possibly be. Fast forward to a week ago: Armed with a permit, an enthusiastic search party made up of staff and students from the National University of Singapore's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, NParks and others - including visiting regional echinoderm specialist David Lane - set out for a dawn low-tide walk on Cyrene reef (Echinoderms are marine animals that exhibit five-fold radial symmetry at some stage of life). Right at the end of the trip, as the tide was rising and time was running out, the object of the mission was located, almost hidden in a dense field of seagrass. A rare and exciting find THE discovery of this attractive species, one of about a dozen of its kind in the Indo-Pacific, is in some respects a remarkable surprise, given its large size and the fact that sea stars and their relatives had been intensively surveyed and studied throughout the 1990s by a team of NUS and Belgian marine scientists. Another surprise is that this star was previously known to exist only in the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, so its presence in Singapore waters represents a considerable range increase. It must be stated, however, that the taxonomy of this group has some uncertainties, with gradations between species, possible hybrids and a closely related form living in the Philippines region. Nevertheless, the find is an important one in biodiversity terms. The latest individual discovered, at 27cm in diameter, is smaller than the one seen previously, so a small population may exist in the dense seagrass of Cyrene, and possibly elsewhere locally. Cyrene reef: Rich in marine life SITTING in the midst of intensive port activities, not far from the huge container terminal of Pasir Panjang, this patch reef stands like a marine oasis - a trove of biodiversity in the midst of the nation's economic pulse. This sandy reef, swept clean of silt by strong currents when the tide is in, is as rich now biologically, if not richer, than in the 1990s. Recent and earlier treasure hunts have unearthed numerous species of sea stars, sand dollars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers, in addition to many other invertebrate species. That all this marine life exists in the middle of one of the busiest port zones in the world attests to the cleanliness of the seawater environment. Marine life thrives where water currents are sufficient to prevent smothering by sedimentation. Singapore owes its rich marine biodiversity heritage to the fact that it is equatorial, that it is close to the edge of the 'coral triangle' biodiversity hot spot of the Indo-Malay archipelago, and also to overlapping ranges of Pacific and Indian Ocean faunas. The Republic is clearly at the centre of things in many ways. Why is the continued existence of this kind of marine life in Singapore so important? There is a host of reasons, many of which have to do with the quality of the marine environment and, directly or indirectly, with the quality of human life and the growing environmental awareness in crowded Singapore. A rich diversity of marine life is often cited as a potential source of new medicinals or of target species for cultivation. An equally important value is that the continued existence - or otherwise - of rich and diverse marine communities provides an overall measure for monitoring the ecosystem and environmental health status. Additionally, the recreational and educational value of natural resources and the environment will undoubtedly continue to grow in Singapore, as these resources become more and more scarce. Unique to Cyrene is the fact that there are three different habitats - seagrass, coral reef and sand - amalgamated on one reef. Other exotics, such as sea horses recently sighted there, are perhaps additional indicators of the conservation value of this reef formation. An important objective in relation to this conservation issue would be an urgent survey programme for this new star, and other rarities, on the remaining untouched and relatively unexplored reef flats in the Southern Islands. Dr Lane is a senior lecturer and marine scientist with Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Formerly with NUS, he continues to work closely with its Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, the region's premier natural history museum. Mr Ngiam is a project officer with NParks, while Mr Tan is an education and public relations officer with the Raffles Museum. Source and Full article: Click Here Team Seagrass Singapore (Seagrass-Watch partner) monitors seagrass on Cyrene reef: http://teamseagrass.blogspot.com/ |
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Hunting towards oblivion 26 April 2008, The Australian
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South China Sea headed for troubled waters: marine experts12 April 2008, AFP HANOI (AFP) — Polluted, crossed by busy shipping lanes, and disputed by many countries, the South China Sea has taken an environmental battering that threatens future food supplies, marine scientists have warned. In a decade the sea -- at the heart of a densely populated and rapidly industrialising region - has lost 16 percent of its coral reefs and coastal mangroves and 30 percent of its seagrass, says the United Nations. The exploitation of its fisheries, both legal and illegal, by family boats and industrial deep sea trawlers now threatens to deplete fish stocks that millions of people rely on, a Hanoi conference heard last week. "The key issues on a basin scale are habitat degradation and loss, overfishing and land-based pollution," said Vo Si Tuan, who served as Vietnam representative to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) South China Sea Project. "There are many, many problems, but these are the biggest." The South China Sea is ringed by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, with about 350 million people living along its coastal areas. "There are large populations heavily dependent, directly and indirectly, on fishing, in one of the world's most biodiverse marine areas," said Keith Symington, a marine specialist with the World Wide Fund for Nature. "The international trends are more pronounced in the South China Sea. "Boats have to go further and fish longer to catch the same amount of fish and they are catching smaller fish," said Symington, speaking to AFP at the fourth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands. "There are a lot of illegal or unreported catches, there are fishing boats flying flags of convenience, there are loopholes." The UN has highlighted the damage done to coral reefs, seagrass, mangroves and wetlands that are crucial for biodiversity and fish breeding. Vietnam's Halong Bay, a world heritage-listed island scape, is a case in point, said Michael Hayes, an expert on tourism in protected marine areas. "There are 138 coral species in Halong Bay, but most of the reefs are being destroyed by heavy sedimentation," he said. Erosion from deforestation along the Red River is pouring silt into the bay, where shrimp farms and land reclamation have destroyed mangroves and heavy shipping, coal mining and tourism are polluting the waters. "There is more and more pressure on the South China Sea, from fisheries but also from other exploitation like oil and gas and ballast waters from ships that introduce invasive species," he said. Vietnam, aiming to protect its coastal areas, plans to send fewer and larger fishing boats deeper into the South China Sea, said Nguyen Chu Hoi, director of the Vietnam Institute of Fisheries Economics and Planning. The communist government plans to declare 15 marine protected areas this year, he said, and to reduce its fleet of 90,000 mostly family-run boats by 30 percent over five years while encouraging more off-shore fishing. The ships may be heading into troubled waters, and not just during the annual typhoon season that is set to worsen with climate change. Fishing has already led to clashes on the high seas, with Chinese vessels and the Indonesian coastguard firing at Vietnamese ships. Managing the South China Sea is complicated by the fact that at its heart lie the Spratly islands, which are claimed in full or in part by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. "The South China Sea is a highly contested area," said Robert Jara of the Philippines' environment and natural resources department. "One of the basic approaches now is putting aside the claims while we address the environment and the resource degradation of the South China Sea. "If you address the claims before addressing the environment, at the end of the day everybody loses out." Image: Ships and a floating oil barrier are deployed in South China Sea Source and article: Click Here
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High traffic cops rap in Pittwater28 March 2008, The Manly Daily Speed limits for boats should be lowered, jet skis banned and seagrass beds protected from moorings, an independent consultants report to Pittwater Council has determined. The investigation by WBM suggests Pittwater has reached saturation point for recreational, commercial and commuter boating, which is leading to growing problems on our waterways. According to the study, presented to a public meeting last night, boat wash was among the main causes of foreshore erosion. Areas most critically affected were Palm Beach, Careel Bay, Paradise Beach, Crystal Bay, Yachtsmans Paradise, Rowland Reserve and McCarrs Creek. Pittwater Council natural resources manager Mia Dalby-Ball said setting speed limits, banning jetskis and limiting or moving swing moorings was a matter for NSW Maritime, which was expected to attend the meeting last night. NSW Maritime is preparing a plan of management for boating in the area which the council hopes can be incorporated into its plan for Pittwater. Source and Article: Click Here
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UAVs find role in marine mammal surveillance26 March, 2008, Cosmos This month a flying robot has been pressed into service off the coast of Australia to swoop low over the sea and carry out aerial surveys of endangered dugongs and whales. Packed into a tiny, low-flying plane, a crew of five marine scientists and their pilot slowly circle a patch of ocean off Queensland, over and over, around and around. Below them, munching away on seagrass, dugongs congregate in their thousands. The researchers need to work together in the confines of their aircraft to count and clock the position of the animals; but members of the swarming herd all look alike. "It's all a bit challenging," says wildlife biologist Amanda Hodgson, from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. "When you think about everything that has to go on, conducting [a manned] aerial survey is quite tricky, logistically." Not to mention dangerous, too. "We've all had scary experiences while out surveying in one of those little planes," Hodgson says. "And yes, there have been accidents, even fatalities." Though none have been in Australia, Hodgson cites accidents, which have resulted in eight deaths, during aerial marine mammal surveys in other parts of the world. Yet aerial identification and counting of marine mammal populations – particularly vulnerable marine species such as dugongs (Dugong dugon) and whales – provides invaluable data. It allows fluctuating animal numbers to be monitored, and most crucially, Hodgson says, it allows key habitat areas to be identified and targeted for conservation. With these issues in mind, the University of Queensland (UQ) team are currently testing a different approach to aerial surveying: automated aircraft, known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Starting this month, Hodgson and her teammate Michael Noad, will be among the first in the world to trial the use of UAVs in wildlife surveillance. Their aim is to evaluate the surveying capabilities of a camera-mounted, unmanned flight system. Their work will focus on counting populations of dugongs and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in particular, and involve collaboration with survey and tracking experts from James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, and the University of Newcastle in New South Wales. It will also involve input from the Queensland-based UAV business, Aerocam Australia. If all goes well, the researchers believe an unmanned approach to aerial surveying would make studies easier, eliminate the human risk element, and reduce costs. It may also offer improved accuracy, and allow remote and hostile environments to be studied with ease. Images: Study subject: An aerial shot of dugongs captured by the UQ team in Moreton Bay. Image: Amanda Hodgson Eye in the sky: The Shadow is a three-metre-long unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It can fly with varying degrees of autonomy and has found a new role photographing and counting marine mammals off the coast of Queensland [Credit: University of Queensland / Aerocam Australia] Source and Article: Click Here
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Public wants more protection for Moreton Bay: McNamara15 March 2008, ABC News Queensland Minister for Sustainability Andrew McNamara says public support for creating new Moreton Bay Marine Park protection zones has been overwhelming. At the moment, only 0.5 per cent is protected. Mr McNamara says in the 8,000 submissions lodged, many people asked for 30 per cent of the bay to be protected, which is double the proposed 15 per cent. He says it is clear that Moreton Bay's important to Queenslanders. "The important thing for me, and I think for many, many people, is that this is about more than just fishing," he said. "This is about protecting the biodiversity and environmental values of the bay, the seagrass and the coral. "These things are the scientific approaches designed to protect all of the bay's biodiversity." Source and Full article: Click Here
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$2.5bn for ecology14 March 2008, by Matthew Franklin, The Australian Regional community authorities and farmers will have access to a share of hundreds of millions of government funding for environmental projects under a new fund. The Rudd Government last night unveiled the $2.25billion Caring for our Country fund, which will also deliver funding for a series of pre-election promises, including $200million for the Great Barrier Reef, $100million to repair and protect fragile coastal eco-systems and $2million to fund efforts to halt the southward march of Queensland cane toads. The new fund is the result of the amalgamation of a range of environmental and land protection programs that existed under the Howard government. These included the Natural Heritage Trust, National Landcare and the Environmental Stewardship and Working on Country programs. Environment Minister Peter Garrett and Agriculture Minister Tony Burke designed the new model to reduce administrative inefficiencies, double-dipping and alleged rorting. Source and Full article: Click Here
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Forgotten sister of Chek Jawa gets protection : Permits needed to visit Pulau Sekudu11 March, 2008. The New Paper Why would Singapore, a bustling port city dependent on ships passing through, stop ships from anchoring at a secluded island off Pulau Ubin? The island, called Pulau Sekudu, looks nondescript from afar. However, it is teeming with marine wildlife because it is very close to the marine-protected area of Chek Jawa. While Chek Jawa is known for its natural gems, Sekudu, its neglected sister, has been the victim of repeated illegal fishing, camping and harvesting of marine creatures such as oysters and clams. Between July and September 2007, there were more than 20 landings on Pulau Sekudu, Mr Robert Teo said. He is the assistant director in charge of Pulau Ubin at the National Parks Board (NParks). NParks has been managing the area since January 2002, implementing rules that restrict access to Chek Jawa's inter-tidal habitats. That protection is extended to Sekudu because it is found within the 100-ha Chek Jawa Wetlands. Since 1 Oct last year, vessels entering these wetlands have to get a permit from NParks. Recently, The New Paper went to Chek Jawa to see what could be found there and at Sekudu. Sea anemones, sand dollars, moon snails, crabs and tubeworms were spotted in the area. In addition to the marine creatures, interesting plants can be seen, such as the seashore nutmeg (a species that can no longer be found on mainland), mangrove plants and many types of seagrass. Explaining the reason for the permit system, Mr Teo said: 'Chek Jawa Wetlands, which includes Pulau Sekudu, is an important and unique area for the conservation of Singapore's marine life. 'Thus, NParks decided to manage public access to minimise damage to its fragile marine habitat.' NParks approves permit applications only for activities such as research and coastal cleanups. These are assessed on a case-by-case basis. It will not be easy for members of the public to sneak into the wetlands either. NParks staff members and security guards stationed at Chek Jawa Wetlands are equipped with powerful binoculars to scan the area for illegal activities. NParks has also started regular boat patrol and relies on volunteers to act as its eyes and ears. These regulations are welcomed by nature lovers. Botanist Joseph Lai said: 'It's very good for the boating and fishing community to know where to fish and anchor, and where not to. 'This gives people a chance to exercise their own stewardship over nature areas.' Those who are granted permits should also exercise caution when on the island. Mr Teo said: 'For applications that are approved, we seek the cooperation of permit holders to observe the Parks and Trees Act and Parks and Trees Regulations and avoid trampling on marine life while on the island.' Images: Forgotten sister of Chek Jawa gets protection Source and Full article: Click Here For more information and images on Pulau Sekudu visit: http://iyor08singapore.blogspot.com/2008/01/pulau-sekudu-part-of-chek-jawa.html
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Coastal pollution poses serious threat to reefs10 March, 2008, Fiji Times Increasing coastal pollution, rapid development without any environmental impact assessments and over-exploitation of resources are threats to coral reefs and coastal habitats, says interim Environment Minister Joketani Cokanasiga. He said those factors were compounded by poor planning and lack of environmental awareness, increased urban drift, all of which led to increased poverty. "As a result coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds and fisheries and biodiversities are declining not only in Fiji but across the Pacific region," he said. "Fiji must address the protection of reefs in a holistic way. "Reef protection must include the protection of all habitats from the mountain and forest to lakes, rivers, streams; and from mangroves and estuaries to inshore lagoons, sea grass beds and coral reefs and offshore pelagic fisheries to the EEZs." On Saturday 25 people cleaned up the beach opposite the Suva Pony Club. The clean-up was organised by the International Year of the Reef organising committee. Committee member Margaret Tabukanawai said 50 bags of rubbish were collected. "There were a lot of household items, tyres, cloths, Styrofoam, plastic bags, kerosene and benzene lamps," she said. "There was a lot of rubbish in the mangrove swamp." Ms Tabukanawai advised people who frequented the foreshore to dispose off rubbish sensibly. "The area is a place that many families use so we are asking them to use rubbish bins along the foreshore area," she said. "It will go a long way to keep our environment clean." The committee said the clean-up was an active method of teaching children the importance of the connectivity that rubbish had on reef ecosystems. The event was to kick-start the Beach Clean Up Campaign that is to take place every third Saturday of the month. Images: Seagrass off Suva point Source and article: Click Here
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Corner Inlet Seagrass exposed for Monitoring team4 March 2008, Parks Victoria Media Release Last weekend’s low tides looked like someone had pulled the plug on Corner Inlet. The Corner Inlet Community Seagrass Monitoring Team made use of this draining tide on Saturday to complete summer seagrass surveys at Tin Mine Cove and Bennison Bank. The seagrass survey is part of the ongoing Corner Inlet Community Seagrass Monitoring Project being run by The People and Parks Foundation and Parks Victoria and was organised by Jonathon Stevenson, Marine Ranger with Parks Victoria.
If anyone would like more information about, or wishes to volunteer for the Corner Inlet Community Seagrass Monitoring Project please contact Jonathon Stevenson through the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963 or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au For further information on Seagrass monitoring in Corner Inlet visit http://www.seagrasswatch.org/victoria.html
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Scientists find nets in Torres air survey02 March 2008, page 88, The Sunday Mail. A TEAM of Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries research scientists found more than 300 nets during a recent survey in the Torres Strait. The abandoned tangled fishing nets, most of them from foreign fishing vessels, ranged from net fragments to large whole nets. These nets catch any marine life in their way as they are carried along by currents and the tides. Two weeks ago a net was found containing two live turtles. Luckily it was reported quickly to local rangers, who promptly rescued the turtles and removed the net. Most of the nets found during the survey were around the Inner Island cluster- Palilug (Goods Island), Gealug (Friday Island), Muralug (Prince of Wales Island), Ngurupai (Horn Island) and Mawai (wednesday Island). Most were located in the upper inter tidal area, having been washed up on the tide. The four Fisheries officers spent a week looking for the nets using a helicopter over the inter tidal area at low tide. That part of the research was on behalf of the Torres Strait Regional Authority's Marine Debris Project funded under the Natural Heritage Trust, as part of the Carpentaria Ghost nets Program. "Ghost nets are a major shipping and environmental hazard," marine biologist Helen Taylor said. "We will advise the Torres Strait Regional Authority where we find the nets and they will pass this on to the local community rangers to assist in their efforts to remove them." The team also surveyed and mapped habitats near shipping lanes, including the Great North East Shipping Channel. The information gathered would be incorporated into the Australian Marine Safety Authority 's Oil Spill Response Atlas, Ms Taylor said. "This area contains some of the most sensitive marine habitats in Australia, including a range of coral, seagrass, mangroves and algae," she said. "We need to know what is out there in the event of a disaster. This shipping lane has been identified as a high-risk area for shipping accidents." Images: Air Patrol: DPI&F staff (from left) senior scientist Mike Rasheed, fisheries biologist Skye McKenna, Ngurupai Dugong and Turtle project officer Pearson Wigness and Fisheries Biologist Helen Taylor prepare to search the Torres Strait Islands for ghost nets which have become a constant hazard in the region. Problem Areas: (from left) dumped oyster cages and a ghost net found entangled with the mangrove roots; a large washed up ghost net on the beach on Masig (Yorke) island; the helicopter used to identify and map sensitive marine habitats; Fisheries biologist Helen Taylor identifying seagrass from the helicopter over Masig Island.
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Marine life workshopsFebruary 27 - March 4, 2008, Page 16, Torres News Researcher Alana Grech is conducting a series of workshops with nine Island communities to assist with managing dugong and turtle. Assisted by Hammond Island ranger Stephen Amber, Ms Grech is training the communities on the use of geographic information systems and global positioning systems. "This will help the communities work better; it's capacity building." The communities involved are Mabuiag, Boigu, Masig, lama, Mer, Darnley, Horn, Hammond and Badu. James Cook University's Helene Marsh says it could take six months to determine if there had been any impact on the seagrass beds in the Torres Strait from the recent heavy rain. "Seagrass in the Torres Strait has diebacks from time to time, but the jury is out on whether it's caused by PNG floods or sediment re suspension from long dries, when alot of dirty water is washed out. "Dugong have to eat seagrass with its growth depending on getting enough light and that can be affected by the big floods such as those along the east coast of Cape York." Article photo captions: Above right: Doctor Jane Mellors (right) assisted by Janelle Marrington and Jake Seaton with the scientific side of the Seagrass-Watch at Federal Beach, Below right: Some of the junior observers took a much more hands-on approach to studying the ocean bed at low tide recently (from left): Callum Ferguson, Brianna Mills, Jared Mills, Analise Ferguson and Lilly.
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Seagrass mapping project planned ahead of port expansion26 February 2008, Townsville Bulletin Scientists are preparing to map one of Queensland's deepest seagrass beds in the lead-up to the Abbot Point Port expansion. Abbot Point, near Bowen, is home to a vast underwater meadow of seagrass, which live offshore at depths of more than 5m. Ports Corporation Queensland (PCQ) has announced an expansion of the point, which would increase its coal export capability from 21 million tonnes to 50 million tonnes. It is hoped the State Development Area will become a multi-cargo facility servicing a range of heavy mining-related industries. In the meantime, PCQ is preparing an environmental assessment of the area using state-of-the-art technology. Starting next week, the latest in underwater video camera technology will be towed behind a Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries research vessel. Scientists will also undertake dive surveys to map the seagrass. Information from these surveys will be used to guide the port's development. "We're basically doing some environmental investigations – a one-year study so we can cover all seasons of the environment – in the Abbot Point area to create an environmentally appropriate design for our future sheltered harbour facility," said PCQ general manager of environment Bob Brunner. Mr Brunner said the unique seagrass beds were believed to have been in a healthy state since they were last surveyed three years ago. "Seagrass survives there because the water clarity is quite good, so it actually gets some light in those deep waters," he said. "Seagrasses in other parts of Queensland, which are shallower, tend to be more desiccated after a couple of years of dry weather. "They get a bit burnt from too much sun. "Basically, as far as we know, the seagrass is healthy but the purpose of the study is to find out its health and where exactly the seagrass meadows are, and what's in them – the types of seagrass there." PCQ CEO Brad Fish said the corporation was committed to the environmentally responsible management of its ports with minimum impact on the natural and social environment. "We intend to follow up this initial survey with seasonal surveys of seagrass in the port area and water quality monitoring to provide a comprehensive picture of the port environment," Mr Fish said. Source and article: Click Here Article by: Daniel Bateman Scientists from the Marine Ecology Group (DPI&F) will be conducting the survey. To view results of similar surveys by the Marine Ecology Group at locations throughout Queensland Click Here.
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Sheltered port facility planned for Abbot Point22 February 2008, ABC North Qld The Ports Corporation of Queensland is planning to build a multi-purpose sheltered port facility at Abbot Point within four to five years. Abbot Point has been identified for a new industrial estate and coal could be delivered to the port via the so-called missing rail link within years. General manager of environment Bob Brunner says the Ports Corporation will begin a survey of seagrass beds next week and other environmental studies later in the year. "Following this for about a year we'll finalise the design of the new sheltered harbour concept and then we would start an environmental impact study process," he said. "That would look at the impact of that proposed development in more detail." Source and article: Click Here
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Dugongs flee banks21 February 2008, Bayside Bulletin A sudden increase in dugong numbers in the South Moreton Bay region has raised concerns over the health of their traditional dugong feeding grounds.
“Photographs by local residents and research by WPSQBB shows the Southern Moreton Bay region still supports significant seagrass meadows and dugongs maybe using these until the seagrass meadows on the Moreton Banks have recovered. “The use of the seagrass meadows in the Southern Moreton Bay region shows how important they are to the long term survival of the Moreton Bay dugong population. “We should be ensuring we take great care of these seagrass meadows if we are to continue to enjoy the magnificent sight of dugongs, something that is quite special as there is no other place on the planet where one can see a dugong herd so close to a major urban centre.” Mr Baltais said anyone boating in the Southern Bay region should show great care and reduce their speed. “We would be very keen to hear more about these dugong sightings,” he said. Image: Dugongs are fleeing seagrass feeding grounds on Moreton and Amity banks and going to places like Thompson’s Point on Macleay (pictured), as the grass is more extensive. Photo by Mike Stephens Source and article : Click Here
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Ocean Map Charts Path of Human Destruction14 February 2008, By Eli Kintisch, ScienceNOW Daily News BOSTON--Four years in the making, a groundbreaking new map of the state of the world's oceans was released today, and its message is stark: Human activity has left a mark on nearly every square kilometer of sea, severely compromising ecosystems in more than 40% of waters. The map combines 17 anthropogenic stressors, including coastal runoff and pollution, warming water temperature due to human-induced climate change, oil rigs that damage the sea floor, and five different kinds of fishing. Hundreds of experts worked to weigh and compare the stressors, overlaying them on top of maps that the scientists built of various ecosystems, with data obtained from shipping maps, satellite imagery, and scientific buoys. Then marine scientists modeled how different ecosystems would be affected by the stressors, mapping so-called impact scores onto square-kilometer-sized parcels worldwide. The scores correspond to colored pixels on the new map. Those figures are sobering, says marine ecologist Benjamin Halpern of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, California, who led the effort. The data suggest, for example, that ecosystems found in rocky reefs and on continental shelves "are being impacted even more" than coastal coral reefs, which get much more attention. But coral reefs are in bad shape themselves: The map indicates that nearly half of global reefs are experiencing serious, multiple impacts, including damage from fishing and ocean acidification. "The takeaway message of the paper is that one needs to take into account the cumulative effects of different threats to the ocean," says Duke University marine ecologist Larry Crowder, who wasn't part of the effort. Still, although the map is a "bold attempt," Crowder notes that it is far from comprehensive. Some very severely threatened ecosystems, such as certain rare reefs, are too small to show up on the map, he notes, and other data, such as the cumulative impact of fishing historically, are simply not available. Scientists in the broader community will be able to update the various data sets that form the map, which could fill some of these gaps. Image: Map of misery. from Halpern et al. (2008) Source and article : Click Here
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Healthy Seagrass07 February 2008, The Cairns Post, p. 21 Seagrass-Watch reports that despite water temperatures of up to 38C, meadows at Yule Point and Green Island have "never looked better". Mean seagrass cover was the highest since monitoring started in 2000 and canopy heights were also seasonly high, providing good cover and food for marine animals. For more information on Green Island and Yule Point sites Click Here
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World Wetlands Day Saturday 2 February 2008World Wetlands Day marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on 2nd February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. World Wetlands Day was first celebrated in 1997. Since then government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups have celebrated World Wetlands Day by undertaking actions to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. These activities include seminars, nature walks, festivals, launches of new policies, announcement of new Ramsar sites, newspaper articles, radio interviews and wetland rehabilitation. The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2008 is Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People. This is in recognition of the importance of the impacts of wetland-related diseases and poor sanitation on the quality of water and wetlands. For further information: http://www.ramsar.org/wwd/8/wwd2008_intro.htm
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ISBW8 - call for abstracts is now openA call for abstracts is now open for the International Seagrass Biology Workshop 8 (ISBW8), Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Vancouver Island (Canada), 1-5 September 2008. All those interested in attending should submit an abstract before 3rd April 2008 through the online abstract submission form http://isbw.seagrassonline.org/abstract.html Places to attend the International Seagrass Biology Workshop in Canada will be limited due to venue size. So all those considering attending should complete the abstract submission form as soon as possible. ISBW8 participants are encouraged to present some aspect of their work on seagrasses in the broadest possible context from research, technical developments, management priorities, consultancy experience or community participation: past, present or future. Session themes will be identified by the program committee after considering all the abstracts. The proposed program can be viewed at http://isbw.seagrassonline.org/program_proposal.html Seagrass-Watch scientists participate in ISBW's, as a forum to update the global seagrass scientific community on program developments and present results of monitoring activities. See Seagrass-Watch news issues 7, 15, 20, 27.
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Dugongs hit the food trail24 January 2008, The Cairns Post, p. 18 Dugongs will be on the move across the Far North and could travel hundreds of kilometres because of the heavy wet season's effect on seagrass, an award-winning researcher has predicted.
Satellite tracking of 72 dugongs over several years in the Far North has shown that many of the marine mammals regularly travel more than 30km for food, while the record was a 600km journey from the Hinchinbrook region to Princess Charlotte Bay over 12 days. Dr Marsh, who earned a Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Conservation Biology this week for her work in dugong conservation, said the long-living animals had strong spatial memories. "Individuals seem to recall special places and return to them but they also are very idiosyncratic animals, with some moving a lot and others largely staying still," she said. She expects seagrass dieback to be detected by September because of the heavy wet season, but said Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority zonings and agreements with indigenous communities were helping to keep dugong populations stable in the Far North.
The Townsville researcher was recognised for 30years ofwork in dugong conservation, during which time she advised governments in 11 countries and three Australian states. "Australia has the most important dugong population in the world because numbers are very low outside of this country, so we need to look after them and continue to work with indigenous people and consider increases of boat traffic in their waters," Dr Marsh said . She and fellow researchers will begin a new project in the Torres Strait and at Cape York next month.
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U.S. military must consider Japan base's impact on marine mammal24 January 2008, San Diego Union Tribune
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal judge ordered the U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday to consider the impact of a proposed military base in Japan on an endangered marine mammal revered in Japanese culture.
The judge sided with American and Japanese environmentalists who argued plans to relocate the Futenma Air Station to a site off the northeast coast of Okinawa would threaten the dwindling number of dugong that live in the seagrass beds around the island.
The U.S. Department of Justice, which represented the Defense Department, was reviewing the decision and had not decided whether to appeal, said DOJ spokesman Andrew Ames. The plaintiffs had sued in federal court in San Francisco, claiming the Pentagon approved construction plans without considering the impact on the dugong in violation of the National Historic Preservation Act. That law requires federal agencies to consider how their actions impact culturally protected properties, including those in other countries. Government lawyers had argued, among other things, that the law didn't apply in this case and that the dugong is an animal not a property. The Okinawa dugong, associated with traditional creation myths, is listed as a “natural monument” on the Japanese Register of Cultural Properties and considered “critically endangered” by Japan's Ministry of Environment. Thursday's decision marks the first time the National Historic Preservation Act has been applied overseas, Patel said. The judge gave the Defense Department 90 days to submit documents describing its plan to assess the project's effects on the dugong and develop ways to lessen its impact. The new base, which is scheduled to be completed in 2014, is part of a broader arrangement between the U.S. and Japan that would lead to a reduced military presence on Okinawa, home to about half of the 50,000 American troops in Japan. Many Okinawa residents and environmentalists oppose the planned relocation, which involves using landfill to build runways they say would destroy fragile dugong habitat in Henoko Bay. They say the project would also increase noise and water pollution and threaten sea turtles, birds and mangrove trees. The case is Okinawa Dugong v. Gates, 03-4350. Read the decision: Click Here Dugong Image courtesy of GBRMPA Related article : Click Here Source and article : Click Here
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Seagrass rich in life18 January 2008, Courier Mail, p.47 An abundance of marine life in the Gold Coast Broadwater's seagrass beds could be threatened by a boat channel deepening operation.
Southport-based commercial diver Ian Banks's volunteer work with Seagrass-Watch has revealed a new dimension to the area's marine fauna. His photos testify to an "amazing amount of life" relying on seagrass beds. "That seagrass patch gives some idea of how many critters live in the bigger seagrass beds further north," he said "I want to raise awareness about the seagrass beds east of Wavebreak Island and the much bigger beds further north. When proposals are put up to change things in that area, and dredge for deeper boat passages, those seagrass beds, with their rich variety of life, need to be given some consideration." Currents moving water through the Seaway ensure sediments do not build up over three species of seagrass. Here are camouflaged green backed wrasse, sea slugs, and myriad crabs and other small crustaceans. "Fish move in and out of the Seaway and, when they come back in, they often need somewhere to hide. "Quite a few species of fish and other creatures hide in the seagrass and grow up there," he said. "I recently saw a juvenile snapper, two inches (5cm) long, in there - and that's something I've never seen before." Seagrass-Watch is a worldwide, 18-country monitoring program which recently added the Broadwater seagrass beds to it's data base. A high fin moray eel investigated as Banks was conducting transect survey work on the seagrass bed, at a depth of 5m. It was "a poser who swam up next to my tape measure," Banks said. "Moray eels may look menacing but they breathe with their mouths open and I have never had one have a go at me. They are quite inquisitive creatures." Striped catfish were in a school of about 100. Near the Seaway entrance are schools numbering closer to 300. "They roll along like a ball. The front ones get five or 10 seconds to dig in the sand for food then they are at the back of the ball and must wait their turn to feed again as it rolls on," Banks explained. Dredging contractor McQuade Marine is shifting sand to a beach nourishment area offshore from South Stradbroke in a $200,000 project scheduled to finish on January 31. The Environmental Protection Agency, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and other assessment agencies approved the works, with conditions. See Ian Banks's impressive collection of Photographs and videos at www.divingthegoldcoast.com.au Article by Philip Hammond
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Food for marine life under threat10 January 2008, nstoline.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Seagrass worth millions of ringgit lie unprotected in Malaysian waters. The country is sitting on a treasure trove -- seagrass meadows of about 3.15 sq km in Peninsular Malaysia are worth up to RM20 million a year, based on their value as raw material and for nutrient cycling. "If we lose our seagrass, we don't get seafood," said Juliana Ooi, a Universiti Malaya lecturer at the Department of Geography who will be doing her doctorate in seagrass geography in Australia. Seagrass provides food for juvenile seafood. Prawns, fish and other seafood feed on seagrass when they are young. She said the size of the seagrass meadows was vastly underestimated as many places had yet to be surveyed, including areas around Sabah and Sarawak. The value of the seagrass is also much higher as it plays an important role in food production, climate regulation, genetic resources and recreation. Despite its importance, there has been minimal efforts to conserve the seagrass. Ooi said the problem was that seagrass grew in prime areas along the coastlines which were likely to be converted to ports, jetties or marinas. Areas such as the Tanjung Pelepas Port, the Sungai Pulai Estuary and the Merambung Shoals in Johor, where seagrass grows in great abundance, are under threat from development. Ooi said there were about 1.1 sq km of seagrass in the areas and the vast diversity of the species meant that it provided food to a great number of sea life. There are only a few scientists in the country doing seagrass research and most of it has been confined to the seagrass' role as a food source for the dugong. Pictures(right): Vast seagrass meadows of Sungai Pulai Estuary. A local fisher gleening the meadow. Seagrass-Watch HQ
For further information Click Here Related article: Click Here
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Slow down for dugong and turtles in Whitsundays08 January 2008, Power Boat World.com Boaties out enjoying Queensland waters during the holidays are urged to slow down through dugong and turtle habitat in the Whitsundays. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) District Manager Damien Head said increased boat traffic during the summer holidays was a potential threat to marine wildlife, in particular turtles and dugong. 'These are air-breathing marine animals and they’re often injured or killed by speeding vessels when coming up for air, especially in and near seagrass beds,' Mr Head said. 'But if boaties ‘go slow for those below’ it gives turtles and dugongs a chance to get out of the way,' he said. 'All six marine turtles found along the Queensland coast are listed as endangered or vulnerable. 'The very few sea turtles that make it into adulthood don’t breed until they are at least 30 years old. 'Dugong are also slow breeders with a calving interval of three to seven years, and a gestation period of 13–15 months. 'Slow down, and give these animals an extra ten minutes of your day,' he said. Boaties can help to protect these majestic mariners by:
Reports of stranded or dead marine wildlife should be made to the Environmental Protection Agency Hotline on 1300 130 372.
Pictures: 1. Dugong feeding. Image courtesy of GBRMPA. 2. Dugong feeding trails at Cannonvale, Whitsunday. Seagrass-Watch HQ Source and article: Click Here
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She'll be right on the reef04 January 2008, Townsville Bulletin GREEN sea turtles have been breeding like rabbits and are now estimated to be in the millions on the Great Barrier Reef. A new study shows the turtles have bounced back in a big way since their number dropped to the hundreds in the 1970s. University of Queensland researcher Dr Milani Chaloupka said new data suggested the turtle was no longer on the brink of extinction. The green sea turtle has been listed as an endangered species since 1982. "There has been a boom in all the major populations around the world," Dr Chaloupka said. "It's good news, indeed. "It can be attributed mainly to protecting beaches from poaching, harvesting of nesting females, looking after beach habitat – those sorts of simple measures which have been the main consistent theme globally." On the Great Barrier Reef, which has one of the world's largest populations of green sea turtles, Dr Chaloupka said the population had risen to `several million'. In 1998 it was estimated there were only 38,000 left on the reef. "They're getting chance to reproduce and they're rebounding at a very fast rate," Dr Chaloupka said. The researchers looked at six major nesting sites around the world including the GBR, Hawaii, Japan, Florida and Costa Rica. They estimated there had been a global increase rate of up to 14 per cent per year in the past 30 years. "What we don't know is the historic context," Dr Chaloupka said. "One hundred years ago, they might have been even more abundant. This recovery may just be getting back to where they were or it may have a long way to go." The turtle explosion could have consequences for other marine herbivores such as the dugong. "You would expect a reduction in the food supply in the case of algae and seagrass, " Dr Chaloupka said. "We don't know what the full consequences will be." Dr Chaloupka said the turtles were not out of the woods yet. They are threatened by hunting and poaching, marine traffic, fishing nets and marine pollution. At least four sea turtles were found late last month dead on Townsville's Northern Beaches, apparently after becoming trapped in fishermen's nets. "Nesting is a problem globally, because even though we have increasing stocks, it's not a matter of thinking it's all over," Dr Chaloupka said. "Very quickly new fisheries in the coast areas especially can have a dramatic effect. We can't rest on our laurels, that's for sure."
Article by Daniel Bateman Source and article: Click Here
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Dugong rescued 04 January 2008, Sunshine Coast Daily The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit, along with a vet from the Australian Wildlife Hospital and Queensland Parks and Wildlife officers, headed out in wet and windy conditions to help save the struggling dugong. Rescue unit manager Brian Coulter said the dugong was stranded by a dropping tide, about 200m from deeper water, but showed no signs of injury and was in a good condition, which assisted the rescue efforts. The rescue team put the two-metre long, 300kg animal in a sling and physically carried it over to the deeper water. and waded with it for a short time to ensure it had its energy back. “After a short time, he took off like a rocket,” Brian said. He said while large herds of dugongs had been spotted in Moreton Bay and around the Pumicestone Passage, it was unusual to see one so close to shore. “There’s a chance that what’s happened is, with the large seas and heavy swells we’ve been experiencing for the last week or so, it has become exhausted and washed through the bar where it became stranded,” he said. “There’s also large seagrass beds in the area, so it could’ve been feeding too.” He said anyone who witnessed an animal in trouble should phone Australia Zoo on 5436 2000. Picture: The Australia Zoo Rescue Unit, along with a vet from the Australian Wildlife Hospital and Queensland Parks and Wildlife officers, headed out in wet and windy conditions to help save the struggling dugong. Image courtesy of Australia ZooArticle by Sam Benger Source and article: Click Here
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Seagrass-Watch HQ monitors the quality of the information available on this web site and updates the information regularly. However, Seagrass-Watch HQ does not guarantee, and accepts no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this web site or on any linked site. Seagrass-Watch HQ recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to their use of this web site and that users carefully evaluate the accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of the material on the web site for their purposes. This web site is not a substitute for independent professional advice and users should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. The material on this web site may include the views or recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflect the views of the Queensland Government, or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action.
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