The Reef Authority's Crown-of-thorns Starfish (COTS) Control Program team recently visited the Republic of Palau to lend a hand to local marine specialists dealing with an outbreak of the spiny coral eating starfish.
The Reef Authority team, led by Dr David Williamson, worked alongside Palauan marine managers, scientists and tourism operators to share knowledge, build capacity, and carry out targeted culling at outbreak hotspots.
Twenty-three people from seven organisations took part in the training program, gaining practical skills and knowledge to detect and control crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) outbreaks. More than 2,200 COTS were culled at known outbreak hotspots, while broader reef surveys identified other areas requiring control efforts. The training and equipment have strengthened Palau's ability to detect and respond to future COTS outbreaks.
- Dr Williamson said "the Palau COTS response project has reinforced the value of building partnerships and working collaboratively across our Pacific community to achieve tangible positive outcomes."
"Working with Palauan colleagues allowed us to share practical techniques, learn from local experience and adapt our approach to local reef conditions," he said.
- "Suppressing COTS outbreaks is a tangible way to provide immediate protection of coral on Palau's reefs, but the real value of this partnership is building local capability to detect and manage outbreaks over the long term."
The project was jointly funded by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. It was developed following identification of the COTS outbreak by Professor Peter Mumby at the University of Queensland, as part of its ongoing engagement with the Palau International Coral Reef Center.
By connecting people, knowledge and practical experience across the region, the Reef Authority and its Palauan partners are building capability and strengthening the networks needed to protect coral reefs and the communities that depend on them.
This work was further strengthened last week by a delegation from the Republic of Palau to Townsville, led by Palauan President H.E. Surangel S. Whipps, Jr., to strengthen Pacific ties and build on the growing partnership between Australian and Palauan coral reef experts.
The Palau COTS Response Project involved 23 participants from seven organisations:
- Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC)
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment (MAFE)
- Koror State Government
- Airai State Government
- The Nature Conservancy
- Palau Pacific Resort
- Rock Island Kayak Expeditions
