The Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) Control Program continues to play a vital role in protecting coral across the Great Barrier Reef.
The COTS Control Program is led by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The program uses targeted surveillance and manual culling to detect and suppress outbreaks. It focuses on high-value reefs that are at risk of outbreaks.
The program was established in 2012. Since then, it has delivered critical actions to manage COTS and protect coral:
- culled nearly 1.4 million COTS
- protected coral across approximately 1 million hectares of reef habitat
- actioned 713 reefs for COTS outbreak surveillance and culling
- more than 150,000 diver hours invested.
New tools and research have enhanced the program's ability to predict, detect and respond to outbreaks. This includes underwater surveillance and eDNA monitoring tools.
This is delivered through the COTS Control and Innovation program (CCIP). The CCIP ensures we are using the latest science and research to improve our COTS surveillance and management.
A study in 2024 highlighted the benefits of Australia's approach to COTS control on the Reef. The study was led by the Reef Authority in collaboration with research and delivery partners.
The study found regions that received timely and sufficient control efforts had:
- a reduction in starfish numbers by up to six times
- a 44% increase in coral coverage.
Managing COTS outbreaks is critical for the health of the Reef. It reduces local pressures to help the Reef be more resilient to other threats. This includes the impact of climate change.
Australia continues to deliver a world-leading approach to COTS management. This is helping to protect the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef and its Outstanding Universal Value.
