Marine biologists, Traditional Owners and tourism operators are partnering to support efforts to manage crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) on the Great Barrier Reef.
COTS outbreaks have been a major cause of coral decline across the Reef. Managing COTS outbreaks is critical. It reduces local pressures to help the Reef be more resilient to other threats.
GBR Biology has the largest team of marine biologists on the Reef. They provide educational tours and conduct research. They are part of Experience Co, a leading adventure tourism and leisure company.
GBR Biology has been conducting fine-scale juvenile COTS monitoring since 2014. More recently, they have been training other tourism operators and Traditional Owners to conduct monitoring.
Finescale monitoring is where divers systematically search specific areas to detect juvenile or hidden adult COTS. They also monitor for COTS feeding scars. This helps to assess coral health at a localized level.
This training involves monitoring and gathering valuable data on juvenile COTS. This includes density, size structure, prey preference and prey density. This data helps inform management actions.
This training will:
- embed fine scale monitoring into an early warning system for future outbreaks
- help us better detect and respond to outbreaks on the Reef.
It is supporting strong partnerships with First Nations communities to enhance sea country management. It is creating meaningful opportunities and pathways for Traditional Owners in sea country management and tourism.
This training is being delivered in collaboration with a range of partners, including:
- the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators
- the Yirrganydji Aboriginal Corporation
- the Gunggandji Aboriginal Corporation.
It is part of the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative (TRPI). The TRPI empowers Tourism Operators across the Reef to deliver monitoring and protection activities.
It is also part of the COTS Control Innovation Program (CCIP). The CCIP is delivering tools and research to enhance Australia's management of COTS.
The training is funded by:
- the Reef Trust
- Great Barrier Reef Foundation
- Australian Institute of Marine Science.
