Motupore Island, Bootless Bay (Papua New Guinea): 24th – 27th October 2008

In late October 2008, Seagrass-Watch HQ visited Motupore Island, near Port Moresby, (Papua New Guinea) to conduct a Seagrass-Watch training exercise as one of the components of the University of Papua New Guinea Marine Training Course.

Thirty participants from throughout PNG attended, including local representatives from the local Motuan community attended. The training was held at the Motupore Island Research Centre and facilitated by Ursula Kolkolo and Rickson Lis, with financial support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

As part of the training, 3rd and 4th year UPNG students learnt seagrass identification, seagrass biology, why seagrasses are important and how they are threatened globally, how to monitor and map seagrass meadows, and how to manage the threats that continue to impact seagrass and marine ecosystems.

All participants enjoyed the 3 day course and many commented that they did not realize the importance of seagrass meadows; vowing that on returning to their local regions, they would endeavor to impart their knowledge to the local communities to help support seagrass and marine conservation (click here to read their feedback and comments).

 

Bowen, North Qld (Australia) : 25 October 2008

The Tide was not really low enough to get the job done without getting wet feet. The seagrass seemed much denser than last session. Very little evidence of Ho, there was also no evidence of propeller trails as there were last time - we have had a south easter blowing for many weeks now - this area gets used by watercraft when there is either no wind or a northerly so it would have had very little traffic over it recently.

Of the seagrass present much of it was brown rather than green, though New green shoots were evident. Also obvious was the change between the gutters/pools and hills and highspots - very little on the hills, dense in the troughs. Text: Lesley Bullemor (Bowen Scouts), Front Beach, BW2 site coordinator

 

Torres Strait, Far North Qld (Australia) : 23 - 27 October 2008

 

	Front Beach Thursday Island 23 October 2008
	Back Beach Thursday Island 24 October 2008

 

 

	Wongai Beach Horn Island 25 October 2008

 

 

	Corner Beach Hammond Island 27 October 2008

 

 

 

Shelly Beach, Townsville, (Qld, Australia) : 23 October 2008

 

 

Nhulunbuy, NE Arnhem Land (NT, Australia): 18 – 20 October 2008

Seagrass-Watch HQ visited Nhulenbuy in mid October to conduct a training workshop with the Land and Sea Rangers of the Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation. The workshop was supported by the Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation, the Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, Park and Wildlife Commission Northern Territory, Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and Seagrass-Watch HQ. Local coordination by Neil Smit and Vanessa Walsh.

A new monitoring site was established at Giddies River (GR1) in Melville Bay. Workshop particpants learnt not only how to monitor their seagrass but also about seagrass mapping and management.

As part of the workshop, Neil Smit from NRETAS also demonstrated his Remote Operated Vehicle which is used to assess deeper water seagrass and benthos.

For information on Dhimurru visit www.dhimurru.com.au

To download the Workshop feedback pdf (Click Here)

 

Singapore : 17 - 18 October 2008

It's that time of the year for evening tides and under a gloomy sky, the Team assembles to monitor Sentosa. The Sentosa shore is too narrow for the usual kind of set up with the transect tapes. So we do a random sampling here. Although this stretch of natural shore at Sentosa faces our busy world-class container ports, it still has lush growths of Enhalus acoroides and Halophila ovalis.  Text: Team Seagrass-Singapore. TeamSeagrass Website Click here

	Sentosa 17 October 2008
	Chek Jawa 18 October 2008

 

The Team was out in full force today with nearly 30 people to monitor the beautiful marine meadows of Chek Jawa. Chek Jawa's seagrasses seem to be doing well. Here's a typical view of a patch of Halophila ovalis and Halophila spinulosa. Because Chek Jawa is so lush, it's important to look carefully. Not all leafy things are seagrasses. The long feathery green things on the right are a green seaweed, Caulerpa taxifolia. While these fine feathery green things are another kind of green seaweed Caulerpa sertularioides. Another special seagrass seen on Chek Jawa is Halophila beccarii. This tiny seagrass has long small leaves emerging in a rosette. So far, we have only found it on Chek Jawa and Sungei Buloh..  Text: Team Seagrass-Singapore. TeamSeagrass Website Click here

	Halophila ovails and Halophila spinulosa
Caulerpa sertularioides		Caulerpa taxifolia

 

Rodds Bay (Qld, Australia) : 15 October 2008

 

 

Central Qld (Australia) : 13 - 17 October 2008

 

	Gladstone Harbour 13 October 2008
	Great Keppel 15 October 2008

 

 

	Sarina 17 October 2008

 

 

 

Far North Qld (Australia) : 12 - 13 October 2008

 

	Yule Point 12 October 2008
	Green Island 13 October 2008

 

 

 

Hydeaway Bay, Whitsunday (Qld, Australia) : 12 October 2008

We had an interesting day although the tides were not that low, so we couldn't waste any time.  There were extensive seagrass meadows especially near the HB2 site although not quite as much on the site itself.  It also appears that we may have some Zostera capricorni growing although again not on our designated sites. The other excitement was the sighting of several live Bailers which were spawning their eggs. Text: Maren Matthew, Hydeaway Bay site coordinator

 

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Correct citation: McKenzie, LJ., Yoshida, RL., Mellors, JE & Coles, RG. (2006 - 2008). Seagrass-Watch. www.seagrasswatch.org. 228pp. Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Queensland Government. Website designed by McKenzie, LJ., Yoshida, RL.