seareadno37.qxp 11/02/2011 1:40 pm page 1 great barrier reef marine park news … · 2011. 10....

1

GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK NEWS

FROM CATCHMENT TO CORAL

No. 37

Flood impacts on Reef

Tourism taking action

Reef Guardian Schools awarded

Fishers are doing their bit

Special Climate Change Supplement

SE

AJan/Feb 2011

SeaReadNo37.qxp 11/02/2011 1:40 PM Page 1

2

In thisIssue

Welcome to our new-lookSeaRead newsletter, whichwe've redesigned to betterpresent the news of theGreat Barrier Reef. Itincludes the first in a seriesof in-depth supplementsfocussing on key issues.Climate change seemed anobvious choice for this firstspecial newsletter feature,as future predictions ofclimate change dominatemost aspects of the Reef'soutlook over the next fewdecades. The ability of theReef to withstand theimpacts willdepend on itsresilience inthe immediatefuture. It'simportant forus tounderstandwhat we cando to build theReef's strengthso it can copewith thestresses on itsecosystem.

Schools, organisationsand businesses haveimplemented a range ofenvironmental initiativesthat are invaluable insupporting the health of theReef. This includes thework undertaken on LadyElliot and Low Isles islandsto reduce energyconsumption. Initiativesinclude installing a newsolar-powered energysystem.

The 2010 Reef GuardianAwards were announcedlate last year, recognising10 Queensland schoolsalong the Great BarrierReef that have adoptedbest practice environmentalinitiatives. The winning

schools were awarded forreducing their carbonfootprint, sustainability,encouraging behaviouralchange in their communityand restoring localwetlands. We congratulatethe 10 award winners andalso acknowledge the goodwork of all the 230 ReefGuardian Schools.

Fishers are also takingaction to future proof theirindustry in the face ofthreats from climatechange. Many people rely

on fishing fortheirlivelihoodsand ahealthy Reefis vital to theseafoodindustry. TheGreat BarrierReef MarineParkAuthority(GBRMPA)hasintroduced

an onlineemissions calculator to helpfishers measure andreduce their carbonfootprint.

The Queensland SeafoodIndustry Association is alsoactively supporting theGBRMPA by encouragingfishers to report sightingsof species of conservationconcern, such as marineturtles. With commercialfishers spending a largepart of their lives on thewater, their observations ofspecies and habitats iscritical in the protection ofsome marine animals.

In early January, floodwaters devastatedQueensland towns and theGBRMPA's thoughts are

Chairman'smessage

GBRMPA meets the PM 3

Reef Guardians awarded 4

Climate change special edition 5-8

Mysteries of the Reef 10

Reef HQ opens its doors 11

What can I do? 12

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderreaders are advised that thispublication may contain names and

images of deceased persons.

DISCLAIMERWhile all efforts have been made toverify facts, the Great Barrier ReefMarine Park Authority takes noresponsibility for the accuracy ofinformation supplied inSeaRead.

ISSN 1834-6774

Copyright Commonwealth ofAustralia

Please note that you are welcome tophotocopy SeaRead. However, if thetext is reproduced separately, it mustnot be altered and mustacknowledge the Great Barrier ReefMarine Park Authority as the source.Illustrations must not be reusedseparately withoutpermission. Please contact the Great Barrier Reef Marine ParkAuthority if in doubt.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority2-68 Flinders StreetPO Box 1379Townsville Qld 4810

Phone: (07) 4750 0700Fax: (07) 4772 6093

Email: [email protected]

Reduce your ecological footprint byreceiving SeaRead electronically!Send us your email address [email protected] or phone the

GBRMPA on (07) 4750 0700

www.gbrmpa.gov.au

Cover: Bleached staghorn coralson Keppel Island Reefs withfluorescent purple tipped corals inforeground.

with those communitiesaffected. When PrimeMinister Julia Gillardvisited Rockhampton, shetook the time to discussthe flood's impact on theGreat Barrier Reef. Withsuch a significant floodplume bringing sediments,nutrients, pesticides andother contaminents intothe southern part of theGreat Barrier Reef, theGBRMPA will continue tomonitor and assess itsimpact.

While the GBRMPA, itspartners, schools andcommunities achieved somuch in 2010, we have along road ahead tocontinue to reduce theimpacts of climate change,the greatest long-termthreat to the Reef. I lookforward to working witheveryone this year in ourshared goal to protect theReef for futuregenerations.

Russell ReicheltGreat Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

...futurepredictions ofclimate changedominate mostaspects of theReef's outlookover the next fewdecades.


3

During Queensland's recentfloods, Prime Minister JuliaGillard met with the GreatBarrier Reef Marine ParkAuthority's SouthernRegional Liaison OfficerKalair Conaghan to talk

about the impact on theReef.

Kalair said the briefing,held in Rockhampton, wasa great opportunity todiscuss the effects of afreshwater flood plume that

extends out from theFitzroy and Burnettcatchments into the MarinePark.

"The Prime Minister wasparticularly concernedabout the community,"Kalair said.

"We spoke with her aboutlocal people's concernsregarding the impact of thefloods on the Reef and anyflow-on effects this mighthave on industries such astourism and commercialfishing that rely on theReef."

The Prime Minister wasadvised that the full effectsof the flood plume wouldn'tbe known for some time.There has been anincreased flow ofsediments, and elevatedlevels of nutrients,pesticides and othercontaminants into thesouthern part of the GreatBarrier Reef.

However as part of the

Reef Rescue MonitoringProgram, the GBRMPA inconjunction with its partnersand the community willcontinue to monitor theimpact of the flood plumes.

"We also talked about ourother programs that buildthe Reef's resilience, whichwill help corals andassociated ecosystems tobe better able to deal withstresses such as thisplume,” Kalair said.

"It was a great opportunityto talk to the Prime Ministerabout this significant eventand voice the community'sconcerns."

Presently, the areaaffected by the flood plumeis localised to a part of theCentral Coast offQueensland, which onlycovers a small percentageof the Great Barrier Reef.Most Great Barrier Reeftourism operators remainopen for business.

The mouth of the Fitzroy leading intothe Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.Photo courtesy CQEnvironmental/GKI Resorts Pty Ltd

Flood impacts on Reef discussed with the Prime Minister


4

Ten Reef GuardianSchools throughout theGreat Barrier Reefcatchment have beenrewarded for theirenvironmental work.

Minister for Sustainability,Environment, Water,Population andCommunities Tony Burkesaid the schools receivedprestigious Reef GuardianAwards and $1000 tocontinue theirenvironmental initiativesthat protect the GreatBarrier Reef for the future.

"The Reef GuardianSchools Program providesstudents, teachers andtheir communities with theopportunity to instigatepositive change for theenvironment in the face ofthreats like climatechange," Mr Burke said.

"It is fantastic to see thecontribution our youngpeople are making toprotect the World Heritagelisted Great Barrier Reef

and reduce the pressureson its ecosystem.

"These awards andfunding grants will assistthe schools to further theironground projects andimplement their ReefGuardian Action Plans."

Among the winners werethree Reef GuardianSchools in Cairns,including Mother of GoodCounsel School, TrinityAnglican School andGordonvale State School.

Great Barrier Reef MarinePark Authority ReefGuardian Schools Program

Thuringowa State High School Sea 'Stars' Award for youth-directed and owned activitiesYeppoon State School Waste Watchers Award for reducing, reusing and recyclingFeluga State School Water Warriors Award for water conservation or water quality improvementMercy College Learning Legends Award for outstanding education in the classroom arenaMiriam Vale State School Action in Adventures Award for action in the fieldBurdekin Christian College Community Connection Award for reaching out to the local communityTrinity Anglican School Habitat Heroes Award for outstanding improvement in the local environmentAyr East State School Bright Sparks Award for creativeness, inventiveness and innovationsGordonvale State School Reef Guardian Champions Award for mentoring or facilitating higher learningMother of Good Counsel School 'r-Amp It Down' Award for reducing their ecological footprint

Manager Megan Sperringsaid Gordonvale StateSchool won the ReefGuardian Championsaward for a raft ofsustainability initiatives.

"The school's initiativeaimed to create a culture ofenvironmental sustainabilitywithin the school and localcommunity with a particularemphasis on long-termbehaviour change," shesaid.

"Mother of Good CounselSchool won the ReefGuardian 'r-Amp It Down'award for their commitmentto reducing their carbon

Mother of Good Counsel School received the Reef Guardian 'r-Amp It Down' award

Our champions

footprint and looking afterthe environment.

"Trinity Anglican Schoolwon the 'Habitat Heroes'award for their tireless workin restoring Sawpit Gully,which is an ongoing projectthat saw students stabilisethe site that feeds to TrinityInlet and the Great BarrierReef."

Entering its eighth year,the Reef Guardian programcurrently sees more than60 000 students from over230 schools committed tothe protection andconservation of the GreatBarrier Reef.

Reef Guardian Schools recognised


5

The Great Barrier ReefOutlook Report 2009identified climate change

as the greatest threat to

the long-term health of

the Great Barrier Reef.

Rising temperatures,increased oceanacidification, rising sealevels and increasedstorms and cyclones havealready had an effect onthe Reef.

Some climate changeimpacts on marine lifeinclude the gender balanceof marine turtles tipping tomore females, a lowersuccess rate of turtle nestsas well as disruption toseabirds' feeding patterns.

Rising temperatures arealso detrimental to thehealth of the Reef as theyincrease the risk of coralbleaching.

The last decade alonehas seen two of thewarmest five-year average

sea surface temperaturesrecorded and the averagetemperature over the past30 years also increased by

about 0.4oC.

At least 50 per cent ofcoral reefs in the GreatBarrier Reef facedunprecedented bleachingin 1998 and 2002. Oneach occasion, it isestimated that up to fiveper cent of the Reef wasseverely damaged.

In addition to impactsfrom rising temperatures,acidification is alsoreducing the coral's growthrate and structure throughincreased acidity in thewater.

An increase in theseverity and frequency ofextreme weatherconditions has also beenrecorded in the past fiveyears.

Prior to 2005, there wasonly one category five

cyclone in 35 years. Since2005 two category fivecyclones have hit the Reef,one of which was cycloneHamish in 2009.

Cyclone Hamish travelleddown the Queenslandcoast and causedextensive damage to theReef, which led to socialand economic impacts forindustries and communitiesthat depend on the Reef.

However because ofefforts from the broadercommunity to build theresilience of the Reef it hasbeen able to recover from

these incidents.

In light of this evidence,the Great Barrier ReefMarine Park Authority(GBRMPA) is working tobuild the health of theGreat Barrier Reef againstimpacts from climatechange.

Just as a healthy personis better able to cope withan illness, a healthy Reefis better able to cope withstresses on its system.

Communities, schools,organisations and councilsare working with theGBRMPA to build thehealth of the Reef byworking to improve waterquality and protectinghabitat biodiversity.

Over summer, marinemanagers and scientistshave been keeping a closeeye on the Great BarrierReef.

High sea surfacetemperatures, cyclones andflood run-off are all linked toQueensland's summer and

can pose a threat to thehealth of the Reef.

Field officers from theDepartment of Environmentand Resource Managementand several tourismoperators have undertakensurveys to provide an earlywarning of coral bleaching

and storm damage.

Summer's here

Climate change is real and it's affecting the Great Barrier Reef

S U P P L E M E N T


6

With a helping hand fromthe GBRMPA, Lady ElliotIsland Resort and LowIsles have had a greenmakeover to reduce energyconsumption and carbonemissions.

The eco-friendly islandsare popular tourism,recreation and researchspots, and are nowoperating in a more climatefriendly way.

Low Isles, offshore fromPort Douglas, has a new

Great Barrier Reef tourismoperators are taking actionto climate-proof theirindustry in the face of achanging climate.

In partnership with theGBRMPA and theQueensland Government,tourism industry leadershave developed theTourism Climate ChangeAction Strategy to provide ablueprint for industry andmanagement action.

solar-powered energysystem and it also nowuses environmentallyfriendly biodiesel in othersystems.

A change to their sewagetreatment system hashalved their energy usageto 7.5 kWh/day.

Since Lady Elliot IslandResort's initial energy auditin 2007, electricity use hasdecreased by 32 per centand a hybrid solar powerstation is now providing

power to the resort.

Together with theGBRMPA, the Lady ElliotIsland Resort added a trailof interpretive signs toeducate visitors on howclimate change could affectthe island.

The signs display howvarious ecosystems on theisland could be affected byincreased seatemperatures and storms,rising sea levels and oceanacidification.

Tourism industry takes action

Low Isles and Lady Elliot Islandget a 'green' makeover

It showcases responsibleisland management andsuggests how visitors canhelp mitigate climatechange to protect the GreatBarrier Reef.

The sustainable energyuse initiatives on Low Islesand Lady Elliot Island arebeing showcased asexamples of best practicemanagement for otherislands and resorts.

Since its launch in 2009,tourism operators haveadopted business practicesthat are both good for theenvironment and good fortheir bottom line.

Initiatives include tourismoperators becoming carbonneutral, using low-emissionoutboard engines on boatsand purchasing 'green'products such as reef-friendly cleaning productsor recyclable materials.

Detailed climate changeactions included inEcotourism Australia's EcoCertification Program meanthat all of the Marine Park'shigh standard tourismoperators are now seriouslyaddressing climate change.

Operators have receivedguidance on how to assessthe climate change threat totheir businesses and havekick-started their Eco and

Climate Action Certificationapplications throughworkshops run by theGBRMPA and tourismindustry partners.

A range of online tools,including an emissionscalculator that identifiesways to reduce emissions,can help operators pushthrough the climate changeclutter and take practicalaction.

Lady Elliot Island


7

The seafood industrydepends on a healthy Reeffor its livelihood and fishershave teamed up withMarine Park managers to

In a world first, fishers,managers and scientistsare working together toensure the wild captureaquarium harvest industryof the Great Barrier Reefremains sustainable underimpacts from climatechange.

The innovative Pro-visionStewardship Action Plansets standards across theindustry to plan low impactstrategies for collecting andto provide information onthe health of habitats.

The Action Plan will alsohelp to assess thevulnerability of the marineaquarium supply industry toclimate change.

providing the opportunity tobe more energy and costefficient.

In addition to this, theGBRMPA conducted aseries of workshops toshow fishers how to usethe tool and encouragethem to look at ways tominimise their energy useand improve wastemanagement.

In 2009 a Climate ChangeLiaison Officer wasappointed to the QSIA tofacilitate fisheries andclimate change relatedprojects established underthe partnership.

The liaison officerprovides a contact forcommercial fishers on allmatters relating to climatechange.

The partnership betweenthe QSIA, marinemanagers and theGBRMPA is giving theGreat Barrier Reef a betteropportunity for asustainable future.

future proof their industryagainst climate change.

An online emissionscalculator, developed bythe GBRMPA and the

Queensland SeafoodIndustry Association(QSIA), allows fishers tomeasure and understandtheir carbon emissions,

Pro-vision Stewardship Action Plan

Fishers team up onclimate change


8

More than 230 schools and13 councils in Queenslandhave pledged their supportfor the Great Barrier Reefthrough their involvementin the Reef GuardianProgram.

The action-based programempowers students,teachers, schools,communities and councilsto be leaders in sustainableliving and to help build theReef's resilience againstthe impacts of a changingclimate.

Councils are working tobuild and maintain theresilience of coastal andmarine areas to climatechange impacts.

These actions are leadingto a more coordinatedenvironmental planning andmanagement approach toaddress the impacts on theGreat Barrier Reef.

Reef HQ Aquarium isactively reducing its carbonfootprint and energy use.

The move follows a recentaudit of water and energysystems that showed howbetter environmentalinitiatives could also resultin economic benefits.

The first steps in a fiveyear plan to significantlydecrease energyconsumption saw Reef HQ

The Reef GuardianSchools program providesthe future custodians of theGreat Barrier Reef with theopportunity to take the leadin the Reef's protection.

Students are involved ineverything from recycling,composting and reducing

replace all incandescentglobes with compactfluorescents and all tubularfluorescent lamps with LEDlighting.

In addition, pumps werereplaced to be more energyefficient and variable speeddrives were installed onlarge tank pumps.

The GBRMPA is alsoimproving business andenvironmental practices todecrease its carbonemissions and improve itsenvironmentalperformances.

This includes wastemanagement processes,increased use ofvideoconferencing as

Reef HQgoesenergyefficient

Reef Guardians do their bit

energy to improving waterquality and waterconservation.

The GBRMPA has alsosponsored the Energy WiseSchools program forschools to reduce energyconsumption and raiseawareness and encourage

the wider community toadopt energy efficientpractices.

In 2011 the ReefGuardian program willexpand to include fishers,farmers and graziers, tofurther protect the Reef forits future.

We all have a role to play in keeping the Great Barrier Reefhealthy against impacts from climate change. Here are a fewhandy hints that will go a long way in the Reef's protection:

• Choose environmentally-friendly products, such as biodegradable detergents

• Install energy-efficient lights

• Leave your car at home

• Check your fridge temperature

• Keep cool with fans and use air conditioning efficiently

• Lower your hot water temperature

• Let your clothes dry naturally

• Turn off appliances at the wall when you are not using them

• Recycle, reduce and reuse

The Reef is in our hands

opposed to travel andincorporating goodenvironmental practicesinto daily staff activities.

The process is beingimplemented by theagency's Green OfficeCommittee.


9

Summer and crabbing gohand-in-hand alongQueensland's vastcoastline and all crabbershave a part to play inreducing impacts on theenvironment.

Along the Great BarrierReef some crab pots cantrap other marine animals,such as turtles, and thepots can also become lostand continue to 'ghost fish'– meaning it couldcontinually trap marineanimals.

In light of this, Fisheries

Queensland in partnershipwith the Department ofEnvironment and ResourceManagement recentlyreleased an informationpackage on how to crabresponsibly.

Minister for PrimaryIndustries, Fisheries andRural and RegionalQueensland Tim Mulherinsaid that when crabbing, it isimportant people follow thefishing rules.

"The information packageaims to educate peopleabout crab pot construction

to help reduce the catch ofnon-target species such asturtles," he said.

"Often badly constructedcrab pots can trap othermarine animals.

"The practices outlined inthis package will help us toensure the sustainability ofour fisheries for futuregenerations."

For a copy of theresponsible crabbingguidelines contact FisheriesQueensland on 13 25 23 orvisit www.deedi.qld.gov.au

Crabbing alongQueensland's coast

B R I E F SReef HQAquarium makesa splashAfter winning three awardsat the North QueenslandTourism Awards inNovember, Reef HQAquarium was named as afinalist in two categories atthe Queensland TourismAwards.

Reef HQ Aquarium DirectorFred Nucifora said it was anhonour to make the finals inboth the Significant TourismAttraction and New TourismDevelopment categories.

The LMAC is putto the testThe Capricorn Coast LocalMarine Advisory Committee(LMAC) recently hosted aReef-themed trivia night formore than 80 people.

The trivia night was asuccess in increasing localknowledge of the Reef andwas supported by the GreatBarrier Reef Marine ParkAuthority and Fitzroy Basin

Association Incorporated.

Compliance boost

The Great Barrier ReefMarine Park Authority worksin partnership withTraditional Owners toimprove the management ofthe Marine Park.

Two Indigenous CommunityLiaison Officers have beenemployed to support this

work.

The best job justgot betterThe Best Job in the World'sBen Southall will betravelling along the GreatBarrier Reef this year in theBest Expedition in the Worldcampaign to promote theReef.

The three month journey willcommence in May from theTown of 1770.

• Adjust the pot opening size – a maximum pot opening size of approximately 60cm in circumference or smaller is recommended

• Adjust the pot weight – pots should weigh about 3kg or more to ensure they sit firmly on the sea floor

• Use the right rope – pots should be secured by an approximately 6mm UV stabilised rope, which is either not buoyant or is weighted so it hangs below the surface of the water

• Consider pot construction – if a pot is constructed of trawl mesh (or a similar material) then it should be of reasonable quality so that it will not easily entangle marine species

• Maintain pots – crabbing gear should be maintained regularly. This means regular

cleaning and repairing or replacing any damaged pots, ropes or floats.

Crabbing responsibly


10

A scientist has developed3D images that plungeviewers kilometres deepinto the Great BarrierReef's waters – exposingsubmarine canyons,underwater seabeds andsoaring underseamountains.

It took James CookUniversity's Dr RobinBeaman three years tocreate the 3D model of theGreat Barrier Reef but he

has revealed the seafloorin extraordinary detail.

“Users can see vastunderwater dune fields, theextensive algal reefs on thenorthern Great Barrier Reefshelf and ancient riverchannels preserved inseabeds," Robin said.

"We’re able to show thetrue shapes of the coralreefs, including the olderand deeper Pleistocenebases upon which modern

reefs have grown."

An unbroken 900km-longline of fossil barrier reefsand ancient river beds canalso be seen for the firsttime in the 3D depth model,creating unprecedentedimagery of what liesbeneath the sea surface.

To create the model, datawas collected from nearly1000 million individualpoints in the Reef througha number of sources

including underwater robotsand satellite imagery.

"Previously we've hadlittle understanding of whatexists below 20m, so it'svery exciting to be able tomap from the coastline allthe way down to the abyss,over five kilometres deep,"Robin said.

"Coral reefs comprise onlyfive to seven per cent ofthe geographical area ofthe Great Barrier ReefWorld Heritage Area, andeven the most experiencedof divers will usually onlydive down around 40m.

"It certainly gives you asense of how dramatic theundersea landscape is andhow little we really knowabout it."

The model may be usedas a solid foundation forother research aimed atimproving theunderstanding of the GreatBarrier Reef.

It could also allowoceanographers toaccurately map currentsand biologists to targetimportant sites on theseafloor for studying deepsea marine life.

Underwater mysteries unveiled

More than 2700 scientists probedthe ocean's depths in a mammoth 10year project to unveil the first globalCensus of Marine Life, with about 6000 potential new species discovered world-wide.

In the Great Barrier Reef's waters, new species were discovered including soft corals. During the Census of Marine Life, scientists photographedChristmas tree worms (right) nearLizard Island.

Beneath the wavesUndersea canyons off the coast of Cooktown


11

Reef HQ Aquarium hasopened its doors toIndigenous youth with anopportunity to complete aCertificate in Tourismthrough the Sea CountryConnections TraineeshipProgram.

The 12 month programaims to develop futureIndigenous leaders,providing them with on-the-job training and theopportunity to share theircultural and spiritualconnections to the GreatBarrier Reef.

Khrishna Wyles, aGirramay Traditional Ownerin the Cardwell region, saidthe program has made hermore aware of her culturalheritage.

"Through the traineeshipprogram I'm learning toguide tours through theAquarium, which includesschool visits such as theReef Sleeps educationalsleep over program," shesaid.

"The traineeship hasmade me more aware ofmy cultural heritage,because it's not somethingI knew much about growingup."

Khrishna said she seesopportunities for hergeneration through thetourism traineeship.

"Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander childrenneed to have faith in theirabilities," she said.

"I used to be very shy, anddidn't believe in myself, butnow I can look back andsee how far I've comealready.

"I want to use thisopportunity to open doorsin the travel industry. Oneday I'd like to work as atravel agent, and travelmyself. My dream is totravel to Canada, and learnabout that country'sIndigenous people."

The Sea CountryConnections TraineeshipProgram is part of theGreat Barrier Reef MarinePark Authority's Caring forour Country Reef RescueIndigenous Land and SeaCountry PartnershipsProgram funded by theAustralian Government.

Reef HQ traineeship program opens doors forlocal Indigenous youth

B R I E F SCelebratingNational WaterWeekAs part of National WaterWeek, the Mackay LocalMarine Advisory Committeeand Reef HQ offered aReef video conference asfirst prize in a colouring-incompetition.

All Reef Guardian Schoolsin Mackay and theWhitsundays region wereinvited to enter and PhilippaVella from St Anne'sCatholic Primary Schoolwas announced the winner.

New wing for TurtleHospitalIn just over a year, about 50marine turtles have beencared for at the Reef HQAquarium Turtle Hospital,and now it's time forexpansion.

To meet the demands of theincreasing number ofpatients, the hospital'scapacity will be doubledwith the addition of asecond wing. It will houseanother eight tanks.

Reef HQ Aquarium willagain be relying ongenerous donations fromthe community andcorporate sector to makethis dream a reality. To findout how you can make adonation please call (07)4750 0800.

Snapper closure

A six week reef closure willtake place early this year tohelp reduce fishingpressure on Queensland’sover-fished snapper stock.

The closure will apply alongthe Queensland east coastfrom 15 February to 31March 2011, makingsnapper, teraglin and pearlperch off limits until newmanagement arrangementscan be finalised.


12

We are running out of

space to dump our

rubbish! Recycling is

just one way to reduce

the amount of litter that

may go into the Great

Barrier Reef. What

about your apple cores

and bread crusts?

You can also reuse andreduce the amount of foodscraps by creating your owncompost in the backyard,which in return will give yourich fertiliser for yourgardens.

Here are some handy hintswhile creating your firstcompost:

Each of these animals hasno head or brain, yet theyhave some amazing featuresand once you start to learnmore you will never look atthem the same again!

Starfish are probably one ofthe more easily recognisedanimals on the Great BarrierReef with their five 'arms'and variety of colours.

FeedingEchinoderms have a range offeeding techniques such as:

• Sea urchins use a tooth-bearing jaw structure known as 'Aristotle's lantern' to scrape algae from rocks.

• If it needs to, a starfish's stomach can come outside its mouth to begin digesting food and eventually the stomach and partially digested foodis sucked back into the starfish's body.

• Sea cucumbers act like vacuum cleaners, they suckup sand, extract the food, then expel the clean sand.

Reproduction• Some starfish and

brittlestars are capable of asexual reproduction, where a new starfish can

Composting• While you can buy

special composting bins, you could also just use a large wooden box - it's cheaper

• A bigger bin makes it easier to turn the compost later

• Keep your layers loose - compost needs air

• Put the coarsest waste on the bottom

Creature feature

be produced from body fragments.

• Sexual reproduction usually involves mass spawning. Many sea cucumbers rear up like snakes and sway in the water as eggs and sperm are released from a pore on their head.

Moving about• Generally slow movers,

echinoderms have tentacle-like structures called tube feet.

• Fluid passes in and out of the tube feet with the help of muscles surrounding each foot. This creates a suction effect and helps to move the animal along.

These animals can be easilydamaged if handled by peoplediving and snorkelling. Avoidtouching any plants oranimals when you are outenjoying the Great BarrierReef.

Starfish provide another splash of colour to the Great Barrier Reef

Sea cucumber

The echinoderms starfish and their relatives

What can I do?

• Make sure your bin has a lid so your compost doesn't dry out or get soggy. It also helps to keep out flies, pests and pets

• Your bin should have no bottom so earthwormscan get in and out

• For a better result, you can sprinkle manure, blood and bone or lime between the layers.

Starfish, featherstars, brittlestars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers all

belong to a group of animals called echinoderms.

Calendar ofevents 2011

4 January

1-23 February

2 February

GBRMPA offices reopen

World Wetlands Day

LMAC meetings1 Capricorn Coast2 Gladstone8 Port Douglas9 Cairns15 Hinchinbrook16 Cape York,

Cassowary17 Burnett, Townsville21 Mackay23 Whitsunday


seareadno37.qxp 11/02/2011 1:40 pm page 1 great barrier reef marine park news … · 2011. 10....

Documents