31 October 2008
Seagrass-Watch's electronic news service, providing marine and coastal news of international and national interest. Abbreviated articles are presented with links to their source.
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IN THIS BULLETIN
NEWS.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Farm group urges reef run-off regulation rethink (Queensland, Australia)..................................................................................................... 1
Govt to spend extra $50m on Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia).................................................................................................... 2
Indigenous rangers, marine scientists team up to map seabed (Northern Territory, Australia) ..................................................................... 2
WWF supports reef action, farmers unconvinced (Queensland, Australia).................................................................................................... 2
$23m to go to protecting Barrier Reef from farming (Queensland, Australia) ................................................................................................ 2
Blind Pass restoration plan receives state approval (Sanibel, FL, USA)........................................................................................................ 3
Report: Bay cleanup needs to factor in climate change (Annapolis, MD, USA)............................................................................................. 3
What's killing our turtles, dugongs (Mackay, Queensland, Australia)............................................................................................................. 3
Shocking rise in number of turtles killed by boats (Hamilton, Bermuda) ........................................................................................................ 3
GALLERY ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Motupore Island, Bootless Bay (Papua New Guinea): 24th 27th October 2008 ......................................................................................... 4
Torres Strait, Far North Qld (Australia): 23 - 27 October 2008....................................................................................................................... 4
Nhulunbuy, NE Arnhem Land (NT, Australia): 18 20 October 2008............................................................................................................ 4
Singapore: 17 - 18 October 2008 ................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Central Qld (Australia): 13 - 17 October 2008................................................................................................................................................ 4
FROM HQ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Frequently Asked Questions .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Seagrass-Watch News Issue 34 .................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Seagrass-Watch Shop ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Virtual Herbarium ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Giveaways...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Future sampling dates.................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Handy Seagrass Links ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Please note: links to sources were active on date of publication. Some sources remove links periodically.
NEWS
Farm group urges reef run-off regulation rethink (Queensland, Australia)
27 October 2008, ABC Far North Online
The Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) says most of the agriculture industry is already working towards best
practice to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. The Queensland Government yesterday announced $50 million to
protect the reef from agricultural run-off. It follows Premier Anna Bligh's announcement on Friday that regulations will
be introduced to improve water quality.
QFF spokesman John Cherry says Ms Bligh needs to rethink the announcement. "It's enormously costly for the
Government," he said. "How are they going to regulate in a land management context? Ms Bligh says the
Government will continue to work with farmers on the issue.
more....................... http://www.seagrasswatch.org/news.html
www.seagrasswatch.org
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Govt to spend extra $50m on Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia)
26 October 2008, ABC Far North Online
The Queensland Government says it will spend an extra $50 million to protect the Great Barrier Reef. On Friday the
Government announced it will introduce new regulations to prevent water pollution caused by farm run-off. Premier
Anna Bligh says the funding will help farmers adopt better practices.
"Firstly provide direct consultancy work with farmers to identify areas where they need to change," Ms Bligh said.
"Some of the funds will go to assisting farmers to implement change practices, some of the funds will be going to
monitoring water quality so we can tell whether the new practices are working and whether we need to do more
work."
more....................... http://www.seagrasswatch.org/news.html
Indigenous rangers, marine scientists team up to map seabed (Northern Territory,
Australia)
25 October 2008, ABC Online
For the first time, traditional Indigenous knowledge has been combined with the latest technology to map underwater
habitats off north-east Arnhem Land. Indigenous sea rangers and Northern Territory marine scientists have this week
been using an underwater video camera to map the seabed around Bremer Island off Nhulunbuy.
The group's lead scientist, Professor Karen Edyvane, says the information is crucial for managing fisheries,
aquaculture and development - and the rangers have a lot to contribute. "It's really important because we know so
little about the Northern Territory's marine environments," she said. "Indigenous people, as we know, have had a long
customary connection with coastal environment and marine environment and have a lot to offer."
Professor Edyvane says one of the best things about the device is that researchers no longer have to get into the
water. "The Territory is home to some pretty amazing creatures, but also some which aren't so safe for us in the
water," she said. "Particularly the sharks and the crocodiles and the box jellyfish. So it's a very smart way to go in
terms of mapping underwater environments particularly deep, murky ones - and being entirely safe."
more....................... http://www.seagrasswatch.org/news.html
WWF supports reef action, farmers unconvinced (Queensland, Australia)
24 October 2008, ABC News
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says it supports the Queensland Government's plan to help protect the Great Barrier
Reef. The Queensland Government says it has to introduce mandatory regulations on the use of chemicals in
agriculture to protect the reef. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says voluntary land management has not worked.
The plan has been criticised by the Queensland Farmers Federation but WWF says chemical reduction targets must
be introduced. Spokesman Nick Health says immediate action is needed. "There's about 700 reefs slowly dying
from 14 million tonnes of toxic pollution and we've known about it for 10 years," he said. He says a 25 per cent
reduction in chemicals reaching the reef is not enough. Mr Health says the Government must provide enough funding
for a mandatory regulatory program that leads to a reduction of 50 per cent run-off getting to the reef.
But Canegrowers, the peak representative body for Australian sugarcane growers, says it wants financial support
from the State Government to implement the new regulations. Canegrowers chief executive Ian Ballantyne says
farmers want to adopt new strategies to help the reef but mandatory regulation targets may be difficult to introduce.
"I think if I had an issue, it really is the issue of reef plan and the failure to achieve targets," he said.
more....................... http://www.seagrasswatch.org/news.html
$23m to go to protecting Barrier Reef from farming (Queensland, Australia)
24 October 2008, ABC News
The Queensland Government has defied the wishes of agricultural groups and signaled the introduction of legislation
to limit farmers' impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has told a summit in
Brisbane that the Government will spend $23 million to reduce agriculture damaging the reef. Mr Garrett says the
amount of chemicals in agricultural run-off must be reduced by 25 per cent by 2013. He told the summit there is
scientific evidence that human activity is killing the reef, and better land management strategies are needed.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh also addressed the summit, warning that human activity could kill the reef within
decades. Ms Bligh says the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen in agricultural run-off is more than four times the
level before European settlement. She says the management strategy developed five years ago to protect the Reef is
not working and the State Government will consider a regulatory framework.
more....................... http://www.seagrasswatch.org/news.html
www.seagrasswatch.org
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Blind Pass restoration plan receives state approval (Sanibel, FL, USA)
30 October 2008, Captiva Current
The Blind Pass restoration project received the last permit requirement during a pre-construction conference on Oct.
24, during which the state's Notice to Proceed was granted. According to Robert Neal of the Lee County Natural
Resources Division, everything is in place for the Blind Pass reopening project to go ahead. "The project officially
started on Oct. 24 with the state's issuance of the Notice to Proceed," said Neal, noting that the project is going to
end in May of next year.
Pre-construction monitoring of the seagrass beds in the Blind Pass area concluded on Oct. 28, and mitigation efforts
began the following day, during which seagrass will be transplanted from the work area into Dinkins Bayou.
"Habitat restoration for seagrass beds and mangroves, both in Blind Pass and Dinkins Bayou and Clam Bayou, [and]
with that comes improved fishing habitat, increased manatee usage and additional bird usage," Neal said, listing
some of the potential environmental advantages of opening the pass.
Full story and source: http://www.captivacurrent.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=4268
Report: Bay cleanup needs to factor in climate change (Annapolis, MD, USA)
28 October 2008, Annapolis Capital
If cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay isn't hard enough as it is, a new report makes it clear that there's another
complicating factor to worry about: climate change.
With the reasoning that "the next 50 years from a climactic point of view are not going to look like the last 50 years,"
the report's authors recommend a rethinking of bay restoration strategies. For example, underwater grass planting
and shoreline restoration may have to change due to the sea level rising and temperatures increasing due to global
warming. "The clear conclusion of the report is climate change will touch all facets of the Chesapeake Bay Program,"
said Dr. Chris Pyke, a co-author of the report, "Climate Change and the Chesapeake Bay."
Changing restoration plans could prove to be challenging. For example, one of the key underwater grasses that
survives well in the Chesapeake Bay is the salt-loving eelgrass in the southern bay. But this is about the warmest
area that eelgrass can tolerate, and the plant also can die during scorching periods in the summer.
If air and water temperatures continue to rise, eelgrass may no longer be viable. Therefore, it may not make sense,
for example, to continue to propagate and plant eelgrass in the same areas.
Full story and source: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/10_28-21/ENV
What's killing our turtles, dugongs (Mackay, Queensland, Australia)
25 October 2008, Daily Mercury
Denise Abraham is furrowing her brow. She is deeply concerned about the spate of sea animals that have washed
up on Armstrong Beach this month. Ms Abraham said in the past four weeks two turtles and two dugongs had been
spotted dead just above the water line.
The Environmental Protection Agency downplayed the deaths attributing them to natural causes. A spokesperson
said all the animals appeared to have died of natural causes without any evidence of boat strike or other human
interference.
The spokesperson said it was possible that fresh water and sediment from flooding earlier in the year may have
affected seagrass growth in the area. "As seagrass is the main food source for both turtles and dugongs this may
have been a contributing factor to one or more of the recent strandings." The spokesperson said the strandings in the
Mackay area this month were consistent with stranding numbers that might be expected at this time of year and
those from previous years.
Full story and source: http://www.dailymercury.com.au/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3788748
Shocking rise in number of turtles killed by boats (Hamilton, Bermuda)
24 October 2008, Royal Gazette
More turtles have been killed by boaters in the past two months than in the whole of last year. Now Marine Police and
conservationists are urging boat users to slow down and take extra care in areas close to shore where turtles feed in
the vicinity of seagrass beds.
Patrick Talbot, head aquarist at Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), said it was vital boat operators
obeyed marine rules and regulations. He also urged people to avoid dropping trash and rope, fishing line or netting in
the water, as turtle deaths due to entanglements are also on the rise.
Full story and source: http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d8ac3330030003§ionId=60
www.seagrasswatch.org
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GALLERY
Motupore Island, Bootless Bay (Papua New Guinea): 24th 27th October 2008
http://www.seagrasswatch.org/gallery.html
In late October 2008, Seagrass-Watch HQ visited Motupore Island, near Port Moresby, (Papua New Guinea) to conduct a Seagrass-
Watch training exercise as one of the components of the University of Papua New Guinea Marine Training Course. Thirty participants
from throughout PNG attended, including local representatives from the local Motuan community attended. As part of the training, 3rd
and 4th year UPNG students learnt seagrass identification, seagrass biology, why seagrasses are important and how they are
threatened globally, how to monitor and map seagrass meadows, and how to manage the threats that continue to impact seagrass
and marine ecosystems.
Torres Strait, Far North Qld (Australia): 23 - 27 October 2008 http://www.seagrasswatch.org/gallery.html
Front Beach, Thursday Island, 23 October 2008
Back Beach, Thursday Island, 24 October 2008
Wongai Beach, Horn Island, 25 October 2008
Corner Beach, Hammond Island, 27 October 2008
Nhulunbuy, NE Arnhem Land (NT, Australia): 18 20 October 2008 http://www.seagrasswatch.org/gallery.html
Seagrass-Watch HQ visited Nhulenbuy in mid October to conduct a training workshop with the Land and Sea Rangers of the
Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation. The workshop was supported by the Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation, the Northern Territory
Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, Park and Wildlife Commission Northern Territory, Bachelor
Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and Seagrass-Watch HQ.
A new monitoring site was established at Giddies River (GR1) in Melville Bay. Workshop participants learnt not only how to monitor
their seagrass but also about seagrass mapping and management. As part of the workshop, Neil Smit from NRETAS also
demonstrated his Remote Operated Vehicle which is used to assess deeper water seagrass and benthos.
Singapore: 17 - 18 October 2008 http:/ www.seagrasswatch.org/gallery.html
Sentosa, 17 October 2008
It's that time of the year for evening tides and under a gloomy sky, the Team assembles to monitor Sentosa. The Sentosa shore is
too narrow for the usual kind of set up with the transect tapes. So we do a random sampling here. Although this stretch of natural
shore at Sentosa faces our busy world-class container ports, it still has lush growths of Enhalus acoroides and Halophila ovalis.
Text: Team Seagrass-Singapore
Chek Jawa, 18 October 2008
The Team was out in full force today with nearly 30 people to monitor the beautiful marine meadows of Chek Jawa. Chek Jawa's
seagrasses seem to be doing well. Because Chek Jawa is so lush, it's important to look carefully. Not all leafy things are seagrasses.
Another special seagrass seen on Chek Jawa is Halophila beccarii. So far, we have only found it on Chek Jawa and Sungei Buloh..
Text: Team Seagrass-Singapore
Central Qld (Australia): 13 - 17 October 2008 http://www.seagrasswatch.org/gallery.html
Gladstone Harbour, 13 October 2008
Great Keppel, 15 October 2008
Sarina, 17 October 2008
FROM HQ
Frequently Asked Questions http://www.seagrasswatch.org/faq.html
Seagrass-Watch News Issue 34 http://www.seagrasswatch.org/newsletters.html
Seagrass-Watch Shop http://www.seagrasswatch.org/shop.html
Virtual Herbarium http://www.seagrasswatch.org/herbarium.html
Giveaways http:/ www.seagrasswatch.org/shop.html#GIVE1
Future sampling dates http://www.seagrasswatch.org/sampling.html
Handy Seagrass Links http://www.seagrasswatch.org/links.html
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DISCLAIMER
News articles posted as a free community service for the purposes of non-commercial education, research and study; review and the reporting of news; and archived for reference of students and researchers as a 'fair dealing' activity
under Australian Copyright Law.
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 material contained in this bulletin. Seagrass-Watch HQ
recommends that readers exercise their own skill and care with respect to their use of the information in this bulletin and that readers careful y evaluate the accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of the material in the bul etin for
their purposes. This bul etin is not a substitute for independent professional advice and users should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. The material in this bulletin may include the views or
recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflect the views of Seagrass-Watch HQ (or those of the Queensland Government) or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action.
Seagrass-Watch HQ is supported by the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts) represented in North Queensland by the Reef and
Rainforest Research Centre, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries and by private donations.
Seagrass-Watch E- Bulletin is compiled by Len McKenzie & Rudi Yoshida.
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