To access Seagrass-Watch news archives Click Here

This page includes news articles of international and national interest. 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 news material contained on this page or on any linked site. The material on this page 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

Loss of coastal seagrass habitat accelerating globally

29 June 2009, PhysOrg.com (Evergreen,VA,USA)

An international team of scientists warns that accelerating losses of seagrasses across the globe threaten the immediate health and long-term sustainability of coastal ecosystems. The team has compiled and analyzed the first comprehensive global assessment of seagrass observations and found that 58 percent of world's seagrass meadows are currently declining.

The assessment, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows an acceleration of annual seagrass loss from less than 1 percent per year before 1940 to 7 percent per year since 1990. Based on more than 215 studies and 1,800 observations dating back to 1879, the assessment shows that seagrasses are disappearing at rates similar to coral reefs and tropical rainforests.

The team estimates that seagrasses have been disappearing at the rate of 110 square-kilometers (42.4 square-miles) per year since 1980 and cites two primary causes for the decline: direct impacts from coastal development and dredging activities, and indirect impacts of declining water quality.

"A recurring case of 'coastal syndrome' is causing the loss of seagrasses worldwide," said co-author Dr. William Dennison of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. "The combination of growing urban centers, artificially hardened shorelines and declining natural resources has pushed coastal ecosystems out of balance. Globally, we lose a seagrass meadow the size of a soccer field every thirty minutes."

"While the loss of seagrasses in coastal ecosystems is daunting, the rate of this loss is even more so," said co-author Dr. Robert Orth of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science of the College of William and Mary. "With the loss of each meadow, we also lose the ecosystem services they provide to the fish and shellfish relying on these areas for nursery habitat. The consequences of continuing losses also extend far beyond the areas where seagrasses grow, as they export energy in the form of biomass and animals to other ecosystems including marshes and coral reefs."

"With 45 percent of the world's population living on the 5 percent of land adjacent to the coast, pressures on remaining coastal seagrass meadows are extremely intense," said co-author Dr. Tim Carruthers of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. "As more and more people move to coastal areas, conditions only get tougher for seagrass meadows that remain."

Seagrasses profoundly influence the physical, chemical and biological environments of coastal waters. A unique group of submerged flowering plants, seagrasses provide critical habitat for aquatic life, alter water flow and can help mitigate the impact of nutrient and sediment pollution.

Related articles: Click Here , Click Here

Source and article: Click Here

Editors note: Seagrass-Watch provided data for the global assessement

More information: The article "Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems," appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition on June 29. The article was authors by 14 scientists from the United States, Australia and Spain, including Drs. Michelle Waycott (lead author), Carlos Duarte, Tim Carruthers, Bob Orth, Bill Dennison, Suzanne Olyarnik, Ainsley Calladine, Jim Fourqurean, Ken Heck, Randall Hughes, Gary Kendrick, Jud Kenworthy, Fred Short, and Susan Williams.

For information on the lead author: Click Here

Villagers back project

18 June Fiji Times (Fiji)

A dairo (sandfish) rearing project in Vanua Levu achieved a major milestone recently, with the release of hatchery-bred juveniles into the sea at Natuvu Village, Wailevu. The project which is the first of its kind in Fiji was introduced last year to address the problem of diminishing stocks of dairo.

Dairo are an economically valuable (and tasty) marine product, which are near and dear to the hearts of Fijian people. Its larvae and very small juveniles were reared in Savusavu but at the time they were too small to be released into the wild. The juveniles were bred in the J Hunter Pearls hatchery at Wina, outside Savusavu Town, from broodstock sourced from Savusavu Bay.

This Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research funded study is supported by the Fiji Government and private sectors, university, NGO and community stakeholders. Their collaborative effort to address the problem of diminishing stocks of dairo is proving to be a powerful tool in research into aquaculture in Fiji.

Recently, 500 juveniles, each weighing between 1 and 10 grams, were released into experimental pens in the seagrass bed in front of Natuvu Village.  This is a pilot release at this stage and none have been released into the seagrass beds for sea ranching yet. The pilot study will look at the relative survival and growth of two different size groups to determine which perform best in the wild after release. The two size groups are small (1-3g) and large (greater than 3g).

Project co-ordinator Cathy Hair said overseas research suggested dairo less than 3 grams in size, which is a bit smaller than a little finger, did not survive well when released into the wild.  The Fiji research will confirm whether this holds true for the seagrass bed in Wailevu because their performance may depend on the particular habitat they are released into.

The week before the release, a hard-working contingent from the Natuvu community, led by Fisheries officer John Vonokula and USP student Laisiasa Cavakiqali constructed sea pens in the seagrass beds in front of the village. The pens are to hold a number of dairo for scientific monitoring purposes explained USP-FLMMA representative for Cakaudrove Semisi Meo.

He said any future sea ranching programs would not fence the dairo, they would be able to move around freely throughout the seagrass bed and beyond.

The release festivities commenced with a kava ceremony and a speech by Fisheries officer Joji Vakawaletabua. After that, everyone headed out into the sea to collect the dairo from nets where they had been left overnight to recover from the stress of their trip from the hatchery the previous day. While special guests watched from a dinghy, the team transferred the small dairo into buckets for distribution to the four pens.

The pastor blessed the initiative and the baby slugs before the first animal went in to the sea.  The young dairo were "planted" in the sea by digging a small trench with a finger, then placing them in it. They were checked a couple of hours after release and most had buried themselves in the sand.

The dairo will be monitored by Cavakiqali an ACIAR scholarship student from USP, studying for his Masters degree on this project. Along with Vonokula and the local fish wardens, he will be responsible for field sampling. He will further investigate ways to improve dairo juvenile survival and production in sea ranching systems.

Cavakiqali said it was encouraging to observe this normal behaviour from animals which had been raised in plastic tanks and had never lived in the sea. Village women supported the project by providing morning tea and lunch. The villagers were happy to provide a base for the dairo project in their qoliqoli and hoped it would be successful in providing future opportunities for involvement in community sea ranching.

In addition to protecting the area around the pens from harvest of dairo, the Natuvu community has provided field assistants to help look after the sea pens, spread community awareness and help with monitoring when project staff, conduct field trips to the sea pen site.

Monitoring will consist of regular visits to the site to observe behaviour of the juveniles and sampling to estimate survival and growth. The dairo were marked with a special dye to distinguish them from local wild dairo. The dye is only visible under a special "epifluorescent" microscope and small skin samples will be processed for checking. This is to ensure that information collected from the pens is actually from the project dairo. On sampling trips the released dairo within the pens will be counted to calculate survival, record their size, take a skin sample (to confirm that they are hatchery juveniles) and then leave them alone until the next sample.

Further spawning and rearing of juveniles is planned for October this year and onwards for more to be released in 2010. Experience gained from the study will be invaluable in making future work more successful.

Meo said, "if results showed high survival and growth, it is a positive sign for the success of the sea ranching techniques."

This would also benefit people in Fiji and those in the Pacific Island region, many of whom are being adversely affected by dwindling stocks of dairo. It is hoped the project will broaden awareness on marine culture opportunities, assist to restore dairo stocks in our qoliqoli, enhance income earning capacities and to supplement for our social needs.

The project partners include the project leader Cathy Hair who is the ACIAR representative of the project through James Cook University (Queensland, Australia), Fiji Fisheries, J Hunter Pearls, Fiji Locally Marine Managed Area Network (FLMMA)/University of the South Pacific (USP), Cakaudrove Yabula Management Support Team (CYMST) and the Natuvu Community

Related article: Click Here

Images courtesy of USP Fiji and Fiji Times

Source and article: Click Here

World Oceans Day: “one ocean, one climate, one future”

The UN General Assembly “Resolves that, as from 2009, the United Nations will designate 8 June as World Oceans Day.”

This great success is the result of the joint worldwide effort of all of us over the last years.
"World Ocean Day" was first proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and endorsed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO after 1998 International Year of the Ocean.

On June 8th, World Ocean Day is a true festival of the sea to raise public awareness about our future on the Blue Planet and to propose actions for better management of the Ocean and its resources.

Over 200 organisations in more than 50 countries around the globe
encourage the public to become Citizen of the Ocean and care for the Blue Planet…

Take part in World Ocean Day activities in 2009 and help to protect our oceans for future generations.

This year: an umbrella theme of the ocean as the life support system on Earth
and especially as our climate regulator: “one ocean, one climate, one future”

More information visit : www.gdrc.org/oceans/oceans-day.html

Partnership improves species management on Great Barrier Reef

06 June 2009, Power Boat - World (Sydney,New South Wales,Australia)

Dugongs and marine turtles in the Cape York area will be better protected thanks to an innovative partnership between marine managers, Traditional Owners and researchers.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), in conjunction with James Cook University (JCU) and the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF), are holding a three-day spatial closures workshop in Cairns with Traditional Owners from the east coast of Cape York.

James Cook University dugong expert Professor Helene Marsh said the Cape York Turtle and Dugong Spatial Closures Workshop aimed to work with Traditional Owners to map out a clear way forward for protecting dugongs and turtles in the area.

'Harnessing the expertise of scientific researchers and Indigenous local experts will play a key role in helping protect turtles and dugongs in the Cape York region,' she said.

'We hope to get a really good picture of the current status of dugong and turtle populations in the area and use scientific and traditional knowledge to help develop effective strategies to protect and manage these animals.'

The Traditional Owner groups represented at the meeting are from the east coast of Cape York and include Gudang, Yadhaigana, Wuthathi, Kuuku Ya’u, Kanthanumpun, Uutaalgnunu Umpila, Guugu Yimithirr, Kuku Yalanji and Kaurareg.

GBRMPA Chairman Dr Russell Reichelt said the workshop would bring together key stakeholders to discuss the benefits and challenges associated with using spatial closures as a management tool.

'We're delighted to be involved in this project that's looking to protect some very iconic and important species in the Great Barrier Reef,' he said.

'Traditional Owners have a wealth of knowledge about their sea country and it's fantastic to be able to tap in to this knowledge and combine it with scientific research to assist with helping protect these species.

'Spatial closures are one of many possible tools used for managing turtle species and dugong. Good management requires government and communities to work in collaboration.'

Sheriden Morris from the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility said the workshop demonstrated the importance of collaborative relationships to help protect the marine environment.

'This is a great partnership between Traditional Owners, scientific researchers and management bodies towards a common goal of protecting threatened species. We're pleased to be part of a project that is delivering meaningful outcomes.'

This project is supported by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country and the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility, James Cook University and the Christensen Foundation.

Source and article: Click Here

Bleached seagrass washing ashore, perplexing scientists

05 June 2009 Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Sarasota,FL,USA)

Unprecedented amounts of dead, bleached seagrass, resembling vermicelli noodles or soft white straw, are washing ashore in clumps from Siesta Key south to Naples.

The phenomenon baffles scientists, who speculate that turbulent weather several weeks ago broke the grasses loose from the bottom of the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico. The blades then likely circulated in a gyre for weeks, getting bleached white by the mixture of sun and salt.

No one knows why so much grass accumulated and scientists who keep tabs on seagrass happenings around the globe said they could think of no similar event elsewhere.

Seagrass blades commonly wash ashore, along with seaweed, egg casings, tiny crustaceans, and other debris. But usually they wash ashore green and in rather small quantities.

The grasses are harmless and so bleached that they do not produce an odor. No roots are present among the grass blades, indicating that a mass die-off of seagrass is unlikely.

“A lot of the beds as they produce new leaves the old ones sort of float to the surface,” said Loren Coen, lab director at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, which first identified the grasses on Monday as manatee grass, also known as Syringodium. “Unless somewhere there are large areas of syringodium that are completely gone, we’re assuming it’s just turnover.”

Source and article: Click Here

Mabuiag Ranger program launched

31 May 2009 ,Torres News (Torres Strait,Queensland,Australia)

Mabuiag Island community officially has launched its Ranger Project, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA), the Torres Strait Islands Regional Council (TSIRC) and the Goemulgaw Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBC).

TSRA Deputy Chairperson Ms Napcia Bin Tahal, who was a signatory, said this was the first MOU of its kind in the Torres Strait and represented a good-will partnership between all three parties, made possible through the TSRA administered Torres Strait Indigenous Ranger Program.”

TSIRC Mayor Fred Gela says the launch of the Ranger Program on Mabuiag represents the first step towards empowering Torres Strait Islanders to play an active role in the preservation of delicate land and sea resources.

“The launch of the Mabuiag Ranger Program is the realisation of a vision long held by our people. A vision where we proactively protect and care for our environment for the generations to come.

“It bridges the gap between science and local knowledge. With significant input from Prescribed Body Corporates and communities, Rangers will be given the necessary tools and training to monitor and report on land, sea and wildlife conditions.”

Ms Bin Tahal said: “The TSRA, through its Torres Strait Indigenous Ranger Program, has allocated $756,800 to the Mabuiag Ranger Project.

“Under this Program, we aim to support Rangers to care for our land and sea country, and protect and preserve the region’s heritage by monitoring and reporting on environmental conditions and establishing greater awareness of traditional knowledge, practices and protocols.

“Through the Mabuiag Island Ranger Project MOU signed today, TSRA, TSIRC and the Goemulgaw PBC have made a commitment to:

• work together to implement the Mabuiag Island Ranger Project;

• share the ownership of any information gathered during the Project or generated by the project (with the exception of sensitive cultural, traditional or sacred information);

• undertake negotiations and communications to strengthen the partnership relationship;

• support open and transparent decision-making, and;

• ensure that emergent issues are addressed and actions be adapted to meet planned outcomes.

“The roles of each party have been defined to ensure that the Rangers have a well coordinated regional and local support network in place.

“This includes the TSRA managing the overall contract to deliver the Project, the TSIRC administering the employment and day to day management of three fulltime Rangers, including the provision of office space, and the Goemulgaw PBC providing guidance and advice on their community’s land and sea management priorities.

“The MOU signifies a positive step towards realising self determination in the management of traditional land and sea country as well as in the sustainable management of land and sea resources.

“I would like to acknowledge the TSIRC and the Goemulgaw PBC for their partnership and participation in this important project, and I also wish to thank the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country Program for their support,” Ms Bin Tahal said.

Mayor Gela said: “The Mabuiag Ranger Program is the first in a series to be rolled out throughout the Torres Strait which will include Badu, Boigu, Erub, Iama, Kaiwalagal, Mer and Moa.

“The idea for a Ranger Program on Mabuiag was instigated by the community. It was later championed by Mabuiag Island Council, in partnership with the TSRA and today has been made possible by hard work and commitment from the TSIRC, TSRA, PBC and funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country Program.

“In total there will be 21 Rangers employed in the TSIRC region with one Senior Ranger and two Rangers to be based in each of the communities. Training will be provided to successful applicants so I encourage all interested parties to apply.

“The Rangers will be performing vital tasks such as monitoring and managing marine wildlife, undertaking weed and feral animal management, developing turtle and dugong management plans and undertaking fire management activities.

“Congratulations to our Mabuiag Senior Ranger, Terrence Whap and the two Rangers Charlie Hankin and David Amber. We know that with your drive and enthusiasm the Ranger Program in Mabuiag will be a success.”

Goemulgaw PBC Chairperson and Senior Mabuyagiw Ranger Mr Terrence Whap said he was pleased that after 18 months of hard work between the Goemulgaw PBC, TSRA and TSIRC, the MOU signing and witnessing is finally in place. The PBC played a key role in obtaining community advice and support for this Ranger project and I would like to acknowledge in particular traditional owners for their involvement,” said Mr Whap.

“This Project will further assist to build our community capacity by providing training, equipment and employment, and will also help to build a foundation for our community to manage and conserve our islands and sea.

“It also provides us with an opportunity to expand our knowledge in management practices and as Senior Ranger, the Rangers are looking forward to taking part in exchange programs to learn and share from other Indigenous Rangers in the country and see how we can apply or adapt their ideas on Mabuyag (Mabuiag),” Mr Whap said.

The MOU is for a period of four years and will be reviewed by all parties on an annual basis.

It is planned that the Ranger Program be rolled throughout the Torres Strait on a staggered basis, with Rangers planned for Badu, Boigu, Iama, Erub, Mer and Moa Islands as well as the Kaiwalagal region in the near future.

Source and article: Click Here

Love in the air for lonely dugong

28 May 2009, ABC Online (Australia)

An Opposition Senator has taken on a match-making role for a lonely male dugong on Cocos Island.

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands lie in the Indian Ocean between Australia and Sri Lanka and Country Liberal Party Senator Nigel Scullion says there is only one dugong on Cocos Island.

During a Senate estimates hearing, he suggested the National Parks Service could fly in some female dugongs from the Northern Territory.

"The dugong ... is a terrific tourist attraction, he's a young fellow or a middle-aged bloke who staggers around the lagoon. Fantastic bloke," he said.

"Last chat I had to him, he doesn't have any girlfriends and it says here that you have the power to take actions to implement a recovery plan.

"Do you think there's any scope for providing a couple of girlfriends?

"We've got plenty in Kakadu, plenty in Borroloola."

Gerard Early from the Environment Department has agreed to consider the issues involved in moving dugongs to the Island.

Source and article: Click Here

Killing the Ocean

27 May 2009, Solomon Times Online (Honiara,Solomon Islands)

World Ocean Conference and Coral Triangle Initiative participants should urgently consider nutrient pollution is killing coral as photographic evidence indicates, not CO2 induced climate change. Wrong diagnosis can be fatal. 

World Wildlife Fund and recent Indonesia CTI conference effort must focus on sanitation and proper sewage treatment to overcome nutrient pollution that is feeding algae that in turn is suffocating coral polyps.

Raw sewage is categorically being dumped in uncontrolled and unprecedented quantity into ocean food web nursery waters. Human sewage nutrients are adding to natural nutrient load, the total sometimes forming destructive nutrient pollution. Nutrients are bonded to fresh water that as fresher salt water is being transported in streaming patches within wind-driven ocean surface current. Coastal alongshore current is concentrating and streaming the dumped nutrients over vast distance to other waters, then sometimes nation to nation. Streams and clouds of fresher water with bonded nutrients in the ocean are travelling similar to how moisture clings together in streaks and patches of clouds blown by wind in the sky. The nutrients, like rain, are not always a problem. When heavily polluted fresher salt water saturates an area the over-supply of nutrients feeds and proliferate algae that smothers and kills coral and seagrass food web nursery.

Whole reefs are being smothered with invasive algae killing numerous corals in a single event. Nutrient pollution is also killing individual coral amongst healthy coral that survives until more pollution arrives. New coral sometimes grows in previously devastated areas. Destructive algae growth appears to switch on and off according to nutrient load presence.

Alga thrives in warm water. Without knowledge of nutrient pollution, some scientists see coral bleaching or whitening a result of global warming.

News about coral thriving in one area can be confusing but explained by understanding different water currents, natural nutrient runoff and human population density locations. Coral generally worldwide is not thriving. An estimated 80% of coral has already been lost from the Caribbean, 40% in the 'triangle', and considerable remaining coral looks very sick.

For some unexplained reason the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef and damage there is not included in the CTI. Australian interim conservation status for the GBR is not enough. There is need for whole-of-ecosystem science and solutions. Triangles involve geometry, not biology. Politics involves lack of common sense however the CTI is a brilliant initiative.

SW Pacific 2009 photographic evidence clearly shows algae in a green line between dead and healthy coral (see photo above). When algae moves further into live polyps or dies, bacteria takes over until only lime skeleton remains. Photographs of algae on coral need to be closely examined like a doctor examines an x-ray. Close examination shows green or red algae or bacteria or dead coral where healthy polyps with zooanthellae alga should live. Invasive algae appears to smother and quickly suffocate the essential zooanthellae algae that feeds the coral building animal.

Nutrient pollution is also proliferating algae and epiphyte growth that is smothering absolutely vital estuary and bay and lagoon seagrass on which baitfish and other ocean animals depend. Older people can indicate where seagrass no longer exists amongst mangroves and in bays. Once thriving long seagrass habitat area is now just mud. Seagrass generally is devastated. Seagrass and the devastation and baitfish have been virtually ignored however some studies in the Mediterranean have indicated 400 square meters of seagrass can support 2,000 tonnes of fish annually. Some 'seagrass watching' is now occurring but the science is years behind. Seagrass often depends on coral for sheltered lagoon habitat.

Baitfish are seagrass dependent. Baitfish catches for indigenous islander staple food consumption and for commercial fishing bait have not been measured, recorded or managed. Baitfish are vitally important but do not even appear on government agency fish species posters. Knowledge is essential but relevant resources are lacking.

Seagrass and coral is naturally rare considering size of the entire world ocean. Seagrass is found only in estuaries bays and lagoons. Seagrass is absolutely important like lining in a womb supplying a placenta to feed life. Pilchards, herring, anchovies and other baitfish including some squid depend on seagrass. Seagrass is the nursery for post-larval baitfish. Tuna and even baleen plankton-feeding whales and other ocean animals depend on baitfish. Unprecedented mass starvation of seabirds has been occurring. Evidence indicates some whale stranding may be due to primary starvation, weakness, a mammal's fear of drowning and instinct to find shallower water. Only one or a few may be weak but panic and cry brings in the pod.

Evidence of nutrient pollution feeding algae already killing and devastating coral and seagrass is substantiated with stronger evidence than evidence of CO2 causing climate change. Priority is apparent and becomes obvious with consideration of already occurring and rapidly worsening impact of world ocean protein food devastation.

In Solomon Islands there has been a recent 69% increase in maternal mortality and the modern day increase coincides with development of traditional fish staple depletion and impact including chronic poverty, malnutrition and anaemia. Many people who used to eat free fresh fish 3 times daily every day if desired, now eat fish only 3-4 times monthly. Many people worldwide can no longer afford fish. Cost of fish has increased due to depletion. Fish depletion is an unacknowledged cause of inflation worldwide.

Empirical fact evidence indicates traditional available fish resource devastation in Solomon Islands has resulted in fundamental collapse of subsistence barter trade leading to anger, argument, fights, recrimination, civil unrest, coup and riot. Fiji political problems are linked to fish depletion and associated poverty. Fish devastation-linked malnutrition amongst river and coastal people in PNG, Philippines and throughout Asia Pacific islands has consequences that burden people and government. Amongst it all, Solomon Islands is one of only two nations with the most diverse marine species that even form a last natural ecotourism attraction of the world.

United States of America security intelligence and/or other lead nations must embrace nutrient pollution impact and consequences involving world food supply unrest that is threatening peace. Urgent solutions are essential. Hunger drives anger that drives unrest and even terrorism. Prosperity preventing unrest is obviously better than war. Economists must consider and realize there is not enough spare arable land to grow food to feed aquaculture to replace economically available, entire ocean fish supply. Aquaculture can not viably sustain supply of large quantities of low cost food the majority of people need.

The United Nations must embrace education about the whole marine environment and associated economics of world food supply solutions, including worldwide sanitation and proper sewage treatment.

Dynamite and logging and 'overfishing' are not the problem because when these activities stop the fish stocks do not usually recover. American Indian Billy Frank Jr knows well about importance of water habitat, his non scientific but indigenous insistence helping recovery of north Pacific salmon. This man could inspire sustainability of SI and world ocean fisheries.

Priority of problems and solutions must be urgently assessed. CO2 aggravated global warming is not the cause of coral or seagrass or fish devastation and History must never record otherwise. The Hokkaido herring fishery collapsed by the early 1920's and the Californian sardine fishery finished by 1962.

Coral devastation must be urgently seen as a symptom of catastrophe involving entire ocean food devastation that must be reversed immediately to prevent protein famine and disease and unrest and war. Consequence of food and land shortage is known.

For more information on Seagrass-Watch in the Solomons: Click Here

Source and article: Click here

Conservation Leadership Programme announces awards

21 May 2009, BirdLife International (UK)

The Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) has announced the winners of the 2009 Team Conservation Awards. This year, the Programme granted 29 awards to research teams in 12 different countries with support totalling $500,000 (£327,000).

"The awards offered by the CLP provide a launching pad for young professionals who are just beginning a career in the field of environmental conservation", said Robyn Dalzen, CLP Executive Manager. "Through this programme, we are building the capabilities of future leaders and providing them with knowledge, skills and experience to address the most pressing conservation issues of our time."

The CLP supports the vital work of a new generation of rising conservation professionals who are leading a number of diverse, practical projects – from developing an education centre promoting the conservation of important bird areas in Brazil, to protecting freshwater turtles in China, community-based conservation of an endangered tree species in Egypt, and dugong conservation in the Comoros and Madagascar. The programme is a partnership between BirdLife International, Fauna & Flora International, BP, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

As part of this year's award, winning teams are invited to send a representative to Beijing, China to attend an introductory training course that will be held in conjunction with the Society for Conservation Biology's Annual Meeting. The training and conference will run from 27 June to 16 July.

CLP Achievements so far

* Over 300 teams of young conservationists supported since 1985
* 96% of these have gone on to have careers which influence biodiversity conservation, with many entering leadership roles
* Many local conservation NGOs have been established by CLP alumni
* More than 85% of projects continue beyond CLP funding
* More than 90% of projects meet all their project objectives, contributing valuable scientific knowledge & delivering conservation outcomes
* Over 100 new species have been discovered (& rediscovered) in the past 19 years, with lots of new records for countries
* Important habitats have been protected, with many sites being designated as international sites of conservation importance
* As a result of CLP projects many local communities are now engaging with the conservation of their neighbouring areas

Read more on C3 in Issues 33 and 35 of Seagrass-Watch News magazine: Click Here

Source and article: Click Here

Seagrass to be shifted

21 May 2009, Busselton Dunsborough Mail ( Western Australia, Australia)

THE Environmental Protection Authority has given approval for the removal of most of the accumulated seagrass on the western part of Port Geographe beach.

“The seagrass will potentially be used for agricultural or viticultural purposes and its removal will come as good news to local residents who have been concerned about odour impacts,” the Minister for Environment, Donna Faragher said.

Vasse MLA Troy Buswell, who had made the suggestion to move the seaweed inland, welcomed the decision.

“We had been pushing for some time for a positive step forward and moving seaweed from the beach will address one of the issues,” he said. “But a lot more work still needs to be done.”

Mrs Faragher said 75 per cent of the seagrass would be utilised, while the remaining seagrass wrack would remain as habitat for birds and to prevent erosion.

She said that in winter up to 100,000m3 of seagrass and sand accumulated on the western breakwater at Port Geographe from decomposing seagrass.

Seagrass and sand bypassing works in late spring created noise, dust and odour issues.

In 2006, the developer of the Port Geographe canal development prepared a ‘Four Year Works Program’ to manage amenity, noise, odour and complaints from sand and seagrass bypassing. The Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) and the Shire of Busselton approved the program, which concludes at the end of this year.

“The developer has proposed a two-year trial of seagrass wrack harvesting,” Mrs Faragher said.

“I am supportive of this proposal and consider that it will assist in improving local air quality and reducing odour emissions currently being experienced by the local community.”

A seagrass and sand movement study in Geographe Bay being undertaken by DPI, through The University of Western Australia, is due for completion in January.

The results of the study will provide base data upon which long-term options for the locality can be prepared.

“Resolution of these issues is a complex and difficult issue and the seagrass and sand movement study is required to consider viable options for a long term solution,” Mrs Faragher said.

Planning Minister John Day has established a consultative forum to improve community involvement in managing these issues. The forum is chaired by South West MLC Barry House.

Source and article: Click Here

Learning and living with nature

21 May 2009, The Cairns Post, edited by David Sexton

Seagrass meadows and teaching school age students all about it, is the aim of a new booklet distributed in Torres Strait communities.

The booklet explains the role of seagrass meadows and the many forms of life they support.

Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries officer Jane Mellors contributed to the booklet and oversees the Seagrass-Watch program in Torres Strait.

"We want to raise awareness and appreciation of the diversity of our living environment, which in turn will encourage students to care for the future of these natural resources," she said.

"While the reader is written in English, traditional names (both Kala Lagaw Ya and Meriam Mer) are also used.

"The booklet encourages students to explore local marine habitats using the knowledge they may have already gained from traditional storytelling or dance, and the hunting and fishing they do in their spare time."

Head of the Mabuiag campus of Tagai College, Ken Treasure said it was exciting for students to read about things they recognised from their own wanderings on the beach.

"The use of Kala Lagaw Ya and Meriam Mer language names throughout this book is extremely timely as Torres Strait island communities are consciously trying to maintain their traditional languages - an initiative supported by Tagai College."

Image: Study and reward: Frank Loban, co-author of the seagrass meadows booklet, collects invaluable data.

Seagrass to be used in harvesting trial

19 May 2009, The West Australian  (Perth,Western Australia,Australia)

Tonnes of seagrass on the western side of Port Geographe Beach will be removed and used in a seagrass wrack harvesting trial.

Environment Minister Donna Faragher said the seagrass would potentially be used for agricultural or viticultural purposes and its removal will be a relief to local residents who have been concerned about seagrass odour.

A portion of seagrass will remain as habitat for birds and to prevent erosion, while 75 per cent would be utilised in the trial as per Environmental Protection Authority approval.

In winter, up to 100,000 cubic metres of seagrass and sand accumulates on the western breakwater at Port Geographe from decomposing seagrass.

Seagrass and sand bypassing works in late spring create noise, dust and odour issues.

Three years ago, the developer of the Port Geographe canal development prepared a four year works program to manage amenity, noise, odour and complaints from sand and seagrass bypassing.

The program concludes at the end of this year and the developer proposed the two-year trial of seagrass wrack harvesting.

Meanwhile, a seagrass and sand movement study in Geographe Bay is being completed by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, through the University of WA.

The results of the study, scheduled to be complete by January, will provide base data upon which long term options for the area can be prepared.

“Resolution of these issues is a complex and difficult issue and the seagrass and sand movement study is required to consider viable options for a long term solution,” Mrs Faragher said.

17 June 2008 Busselton Dunsborough Times Article " Weed study underway" (JPEG, 44.9kb)

Source and article: Click Here

Florida Bay proposals would restrict boaters

17 May 2009, Los Angeles Times (CA,USA)

Everglades National Park officials say powerboats have damaged seagrass that supports animal life. The fishing community is concerned the measures go too far.

Concerned that powerboats are tearing up seagrass in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park has proposed a range of possible restrictions on boaters to protect a vast, shallow estuary that supports sea turtles, fish and wading birds.

The proposals have generated deep concern among South Florida's recreational fishing community, where many people worry that the most drastic alternatives could shut them out of most of the bay and hurt the tourism industry.

But park officials say boats have carved at least 325 miles of scars into the bay, with the damage accelerating in an era of bigger boats, more powerful engines and tough stainless-steel propellers that enable boaters to penetrate shallow, difficult-to-navigate areas.

"People . . . just feel they can power over whatever they come across," said David King, the park's Florida Bay District ranger. "Florida Bay has the potential to be one of the phenomenal natural areas of the world. It's not that today. It's been beat up."

In the forest-green carpet of seagrass along the bay bottom, light-green streaks indicate areas where propellers have stripped bare the vegetation. Seagrass provides food for fish, manatees and sea turtles and serves as a nursery and hunting grounds for marine creatures.

All the park’s proposals include mandatory permits and boater education, but they vary in how much they would restrict powerboats. The most severe would create huge zones in which boaters could use only push-poles or low-speed electric motors. The park expects to announce a preferred alternative this fall and implement the plan in 2011.

Despite its vast expanse, Florida Bay is extremely shallow, with an average depth of 3 feet - treacherous for boaters. It's not unusual to see a heron or egret standing in water hundreds of yards from land.

Capt. Tad Burke, head of the Florida Keys Fishing Guides Assn., said the guides had drawn up an alternative that would emphasize a thorough and mandatory education program before boaters could enter Florida Bay, which he called "one of the most difficult bodies of water to navigate." The guides strongly oppose creating huge pole-and-troll zones, which he said would effectively close off much of the bay.

"We want to protect the environment," he said. "But we also want to protect the economic value of Everglades National Park. How can you close off massive areas of the park?"

Environmental groups generally support the tougher restrictions, arguing that the park's first duty is to protect natural resources.

"No one likes more regulations, but the boating traffic has gone up 2 1/2 times in the last 30 years," said Brian Scherf of the Florida Biodiversity Project. "These seagrass areas are so important for juvenile fish habitat, food supply, hunting grounds for other fish. If you don't have healthy seagrass, you won't have great fishing."

Ted Perron, organizer of the Palm Beach Water Yaks kayaking club, supports the strictest limits on boats but said he doesn't want them evicted.

"It's not to exclude the boaters," he said. "It's to protect the Everglades."

Source and article: Click Here

UQ & Sea World team up on groundbreaking dugong research

15 May 2009, UQ News (Brisbane,Queensland, Australia)

Biologists from the University of Queensland have teamed up with Sea World and Sydney Aquarium to assess the health and reproductive status of wild dugongs in Moreton Bay this week.

Leader of the UQ Dugong Research Team, Dr Janet Lanyon from UQ's School of Biological Sciences, said determining reproductive status of individuals was one of the most important factors for population modelling and effective management of a vulnerable species.

Dr Lanyon said the short-term goal of the study was to determine the most reliable method for indicating hormone levels in the dugong, while the long term goal was to determine critical reproductive parameters in wild dugong populations.

“Once we understand seasonality and timing of reproductive patterns, we will be able to develop useful models of population dynamics for vulnerable dugongs,” she said.

“Assessing the health of these animals is a valuable tool in determining the fitness of wildlife populations; and marine mammals such as dugongs may be used as sentinels for emerging threats to coastal seagrass ecosystems."

The team of researchers are out in the field in Moreton Bay this week sampling a selection of dugongs, which are representative of both sexes and from adult, sub-adult and juvenile size classes. The plan is to capture up to 17 dugongs over seven days taking approximately 30-40 minutes to sample each animal.

Researchers are collecting blood to look at haematology, blood bio chemistry, immune factors as well as screen for disease. Urine and faecal samples are also being collected to be cultured for microbes and screened for parasites and zoonotic disease.

Dr Lanyon said blood and urine sampled from this study was important because it has been shown to represent active circulating hormone levels in other species such as Florida manatees.

She said the aim of the research was to validate the use of blood, faecal, urine, vaginal mucus, tears and exhaled air samples to measure reproductive hormone concentrations and blood parameters in dugongs.

As well as collecting samples, comprehensive medical examinations by biologists and vets are being carried out to assess the body condition of the animals, including girth and weight measurements.

“The hormone data will be used along with gender, body size and social association data gathered during mark-recapture studies, to determine the reproductive status of individual Dugongs,” she said.

Sea World Director of Marine Sciences, Trevor Long said the sampling involves lifting wild dugongs out of the water to take a comprehensive series of tissue and excreta samples to measure reproductive hormones plus an abdominal ultrasound to confirm reproductive state.

Mr Long said a specially designed stretcher is used to hoist the animals from the water onto the deck of research vessel Sea World One.

“This is a very exciting study, and allows us to capture data that will help to establish reference blood parameters for the species”, he said.

Mr Long said the dugong was a major conservation priority for Sea World.

“The Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation's work in past years has resulted in the rescue and rehabilitation of dugongs Pig and Wuru, who now reside at the Sydney Aquarium," he said.

"Along with Sydney Aquarium, a partnership with dugong experts such as Dr Lanyon and the University of Queensland is an ongoing priority for Sea World."

Sea World and the Sydney Aquarium this year provided generous support to the UQ Dugong research team. Sea World also provided the use of Sea World One as the main research vessel and base in Moreton Bay this week.

Source and article: Click Here

Related article: Click Here

Nakheel responds to claims over waste

15 May 2009, Construction Week Online (Dubai,United Arab Emirates )

The Gulf has been littered by more than 200,000 tonnes of waste as a result of coastal property development in Dubai, the president of Emirates Marine Environmental Group (Emeg) has said.

The group has been working closely with Nakheel in the Waterfront and Palm Jebel Ali areas to assist with monitoring the effects of the developer’s coastal projects on the Gulf.

Nakheel is funding the work. “In Waterfront and Jebel Ali we have pulled more than 200,000 tonnes of waste from the water, most of which we recycle,” Emeg president Ali Saqar Al Suweidin told Construction Week. “We have help from Nakheel which educates its sub-developers,” he added.

A Nakheel spokesperson said, “Controlling waste is the responsibility of every person across all phases of our projects.

“Our construction contractors are totally committed to minimising and sorting their waste, as well as re-using or recycling materials wherever and whenever possible.”

Al Suweidi also said that dredging work had covered large sections of seagrass on the ocean bed, a favoured food of the green turtle, an endangered species.

Emeg has been called in to deal with around 50 cases of green turtles being washed ashore along the coast of Dubai through fatigue.

The group’s marine programme director Rima Jabado agreed that the loss of seagrass due to sedimentation was a threat to the health of the green turtle population.

“It’s affecting them in terms of feeding,” she said. “It’s reducing the amount that they have to feed on.” The turtle’s nesting beaches, which are located along an area of natural coastline near Nakheel’s Waterfront development, are also under threat.

“We just have to hope that they can find somewhere else to go,” Jabado said.

Source and article: Click Here

UK Seahorse tagging project at Studland Bay in Dorset

14 May 2009 Wildlife Extra (Hereford,England,UK)

The Seahorse Trust has been surveying British Seahorses since 1994 through its British Seahorse Survey and in early 2008 we achieved the full named protection of both native species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981 schedule 5). This monumental break through took six years to obtain and it also included the protection of the habitat Seahorses are found in, which was a major bonus to the legislation.

Two species of Seahorse in British waters- Short Snouted & the Spiny Seahorse
The British Seahorse Survey would not be possible without the community involvement we receive through the hundreds of sightings per annum from divers, fishermen and the general public. Its this very community involvement that made it possible to get the two species; the Short Snouted Seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus) and the Spiny Seahorse (H.guttulatus) protected under the wildlife and Countryside Act as named species and has meant that hundreds of people have given up their time and energy to go out looking for Seahorses and reporting them into us. This amazing influx of information has allowed us to build up a picture of the unique lives these two species we have in our coastal waters.

British Seahorse Survey
The British Seahorse Survey was set up in 1994 and is the longest running continuous survey of its kind in the world; it's this longevity that has allowed us to gain a greater insight into the world of two of the British Isles most enigmatic fish species.

Studland Bay - Site of International importance
The Seahorse Tust has been monitoring a number of sites around the UK, one of which is in Studland Bay in Dorset which has turned out to be a site of International importance. Our coordinators for Dorset, Steve Trewhella and Julie Hatcher, discovered Seahorses on the site in 2005 and since then we have made a number of amazing discoveries about British Seahorses and particularly this site.

Despite the longevity of the survey and the amount of knowledge we have already gained we need to know more about these very elusive animals and their secretive lives and Studland Bay gives us a unique opportunity to do this.

Habitat under threat
It is vital to learn more about Seahorses and their ecology in the wild so that we can put management plans into place for their protection and to preserve the habitat they live in, which is under imminent threat from development and overuse; to do this we need to identify individual Seahorses over long periods of time which is quite difficult to do underwater

Tagging and monitoring the Seahorses
Over several we have learned to tag Seahorses with a small ‘floy' tag that is non intrusive and does not affect the lives of the seahorses. We now propose to tag the Seahorses at Studland Bay so that we are able to identify individual Seahorses. During the tagging process we will take notes of measurements, identifying marks, GPS location, sex and photographs to allow us to build up a database of individuals on the site, all of which will be updated as and when these individuals are spotted and recorded again.

Weekly dives
Our aim is to dive at least once a week on the site every week throughout the year to gather ongoing data and information allowing us to know more about the unique residents of the bay and by diving throughout the year we will begin to understand a great deal more about their seasonal movements, ecology and habits.

These dives will allow us to check on existing tagged Seahorses and to tag new ones, as part of this tagging process the exact location of each animal will be taken by GPS, ascertaining if they do in fact set up territories, which has been previously thought.

The tagging project is expected to be ongoing for a number of years (a minimum of three), allowing us to build a greater picture of what is going on in the wild; as Studland is very unique in having a large population of Seahorses and it is easily accessible for diving it is ideal for doing this sort of research. We are hoping that the study of the Seahorses in Studland will be ongoing and will include the local community in helping us with our work; this we hope will instil local pride in this very special area.

The data we gather will allow us to put together with interested parties such as Natural England, The National Trust, Crown estates, a large number of concerned individuals and Dorset Wildlife Trust a management plan to protect the site which will include public information schemes seagrass bed regeneration plans and offset areas.

Studland Bay - Highest density of Seahorses in the world!
Since the discovery of Seahorses at Studland Bay, the site has proven to be internationally important and has thrown up some amazing surprises. The bay has a surprising concentration of Seahorses; with more than 40 in recorded in 2008. This density has made it a site of international importance as nowhere else in the British Isles, or indeed for that matter in the world; except the Rio Formosa in Portugal is there this concentration of Seahorses.

Pleasure craft destroying Seahorse Studland Bay habitat
The bay is under major threat of damage due the large number of pleasure craft that use it, particularly during the summer months. The pleasure craft anchor in the seagrass meadow, causing serious damage, as well the seemingly endless amount of litter and rubbish they dump into the bay. We need to gather as much data as we can in as short a time as possible to allow us to put together a management plan.

Studland Bay is made up of a large Seagrass meadow that has a number of species resident in it and is a major nursery site for commercial species such as Bass and Mullet, as well as being a unique site for Seahorses.

Seagrass meadows
Seagrass meadows are a crucial undersea habitat and one that takes a long time to establish but a very short time to destroy, and once it has gone it is very difficult for it to recover.

The erosion of the Seagrass meadow will have a negative impact on the area; not only will it destabilise the seabed leading to coastal erosion, but it will also lead to the loss of this important nursery area for these commercial species, leading to further loses in fish stocks and loss of employment in the local fishing industry. Seagrass meadows also trap CO2 helping to alleviate global warming, making Seagrass beds as valuable as Rain Forests.

Urgent need for mooring restrictions

There is an urgent need to put some environmentally friendly moorings into the site, and to get boat users to moor up to those rather than anchor into the seagrass. However it appears that Natural England and Crown Estates are dragging their heels and undertaking an expensive and unecessary survey when the money would be better used used for the moorings.

At the moment there are some 40 illegal moorings on the seagrass beds; if nothing is done soon then we will run the risk of loosing the seagrass bed, the seahorses and all the commercial fish that benefit from it.

Volunteers
The British Seahorse Survey, and more importantly the protection of both British Seahorses, would not be possible without the help and devotion of volunteers, not just divers but fishermen and members of the public out walking on beaches and rockpooling and crabbing as well. This involvement of the public has not only allowed us to survey a much larger area but we have also received more information than could have been achieved with an in house survey.

We plan to use volunteers further in the Tagging project; they will be taught and trained to survey the area with us, how to measure and photograph the Seahorses and also as time goes on trained to tag the Seahorses. Without them this project would not be as successful as we envisage and we estimate to have on average 3 volunteers a week working with us.

Raise money for THE SEAHORSE TRUST with Everyclick.com - http://www.everyclick.com/theseahorsetrust

Visit Seahorse trust : http://www.theseahorsetrust.org/

Source and article: Click Here

Seagrass link to seahorse upright posture

06 May 2009, ABC Science Online (Australia)

Seahorses evolved their upright posture some 25 million years ago, thanks in part to an expansion of vertical seagrass habitat, Australian researchers have found.  Associate Professor Luciano Beheregaray of Flinders University and Dr Peter Teske of Macquarie University report their findings in the journal Biology Letters today.

Seahorses are unique fish with a horse-shaped head and a habit of swimming upright. Beheregaray says it has been hard for scientists to work out when exactly seahorses evolved to swim upright.  This is because there are only two known fossils of seahorses - the oldest dating back to 13 million years - and no link between these and horizontally-swimming fish had been found.

"When you look back in time, you don't see intermediate seahorse-like fish," says Beheregaray. But, he says, there are fish alive today that look like horizontally-swimming seahorses and these could provide clues as to when seahorses evolved to be upright.

Pygmy pipehorses

Beheregaray and Teske compared the DNA of seahorses and other species from the same family to find out which was the closest living relative to seahorses.

"The pygmy pipehorses are by far the most seahorse-like fish on earth. They do look like the seahorses, but they swim horizontally," says Beheregaray.

He and Teske used molecular dating techniques, which relies on the accumulation of differences in the DNA between the two species to work out when they diverged.

The researchers used the two existing fossil seahorses to calibrate the rate of evolution of DNA in their molecular clock.

And they discovered that the last common ancestor of seahorses and pygmy pipehorses lived around 25 to 28 million years ago.

Seagrass habitat

Beheregaray says at the time that seahorses arose during the Oligocene epoch coincided with the formation of vast areas of shallow water and expansion of seagrass in Australasia - where Teske has previously showed seahorses first evolved.

Seagrass was the perfect habitat for an upright-swimming seahorse, which could camouflage itself in the vertical seagrass blades, he says.

The horizontal-swimming pygmy pipehorses, by contrast, thrived in large algae on reefs and didn't have the need to evolve the upright posture.

"The two groups split in a period when there were conditions favouring that split," says Beheregaray.

"It's like us. We started walking upright when we moved to the savannahs. On the other hand, the seahorses invaded the new vast areas of seagrass."

Source and article: Click Here