A dynamic and compelling collection of stories that will take you on a journey from the shallows of the coral reef to the depths of the oceans.

Program

Stuart Ireland – ‘What happened when the lights went out’

Ben Jones -‘Introducing the Flatback Turtle – an Aussie local and unsung hero of the turtle world’

Dean Miller- ‘Adventure for Change- filming the sea in far away places’

John Rumney –   ‘Curious Encounters: Minkes Whales

Jeremiah Johnson – ‘Music for the Coral Sea’

15min Break

Xanthe Rivett – ‘Colours and Characters of the Coral Sea’

Jennie Gilbert – ‘The Perils, Plights and Hopes of Our Turtles’

Richard Fitzpatrick – ‘Tagging Tigers and Wrestling Whitetips – the challenges, science and art of shark research’

Imogen Zethoven – ‘A Journey Towards Protection: The Coral Sea Marine Reserve’

Fun debate with the diving industry ‘When Nemo retires who will be the next icon of the sea?”

Live Music

Date:  Saturday 8th June 2013
Time: 5pm for a 5.30pm start
Venue: Salthouse Bar and Resturant, Cairns Marina
Cost: Free
RSVP: marine@nullcafnec.org.au (appreciated but not required)

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This is a major step forward for creating balance in our oceans and ensuring healthy oceans for the future – which is good for all ocean users whether they seek to use it for harvest or for recreation.

From thickly forested islands to small sandy cays, beautiful coral reefs and yet to be explored reef slopes and deep sea canyons; the Coral Sea contains 49 different habitats and supports and supports 341 species which are globally threatened with extinction including endangered green turtles which nest on the Coral Sea islands and cays, 28 species of whales and dolphins and healthy populations of large ocean predators like tuna, billfish and sharks.

The protection of this special and important part of Australia would provide a safe haven for its marine life and a globally significant ocean legacy for generations to come.

In fact large marine reserves are one of the missing elements in global ocean conservation especially if we consider that in the last 50 years overfishing has reduced global populations of large ocean fish – sharks, tuna, marlin – by 90%. The Coral Sea is in this regard a beacon of hope. It is considered a biodiversity hotspot for these large oceanic fish that play a huge role in maintaining the health of the marine ecosystems.

For example sharks that are often protagonists of negative publicity play in fact a very important role in the health of

Wreck Reef © Xanthe Rivett

our ocean. Sharks are at the top of the marine food chain and they role is to keep populations of other fish healthy and in proper proportion for their ecosystem. In fact they tend to eat very efficiently, going after the old, sick, or slower fish in a population that they prey upon. In this way they keep that population healthier with largest and strongest members that generally reproduce in greater numbers and the outcome is larger numbers of healthier fish. It is scientifically proved that the removal of these large predators from coral reef ecosystems alters its natural balance and may cause the whole structure to collapse.

The protection of this unique place, through the creation of the world’s largest marine reserve, is an incredible win for our oceans. This win was made possible by the many people around Australia who sent a clear message that the Coral Sea is too precious to lose.

Over the past two years, the government has received more than 680,000 during an extensive public consultation and planning process that has helped shape the development of the Commonwealth marine reserve networks and their management plans.

However, to safeguard this legacy and maximise the returns on the Government’s investment, it is fundamental that the right management framework is created, properly funded and applied in the Coral Sea Marine Reserve.

Scientific research on Marine Protected Areas demonstrates that well managed reserves:

• Perform better and generate greater community support;

• Create new jobs;

• Promote regional tourism;

• Ensure compliance and enforcement of new regulations and zoning plans;

• Foster world class scientific research;

• Provide marketing opportunities to our fishing industry;

• Support quality recreational experiences; and

• Have the infrastructure in place to respond to major threats.

We are currently in the last stretch of the campaign, with the Coral Sea Marine Reserve about to be protected by law. In order to do so, the Minister will consider the draft plan and, if satisfied, he will approve the management plan. The plan will then be tabled in both Houses of the Commonwealth Parliament and will come into force after 15 Parliamentary sitting days, provided it has not been disallowed.

Australia’s oceans are amongst the most diverse on Earth and it is fundamental to protect key areas of our unique marine environment from the impacts of destructive fishing practices and the damage that oil and gas drilling can have on our spectacular marine life. Once again thank you for your invaluable help and support during this long journey!

The post Our Love for the Coral Sea led to greater protection of this marine jewel appeared first on CAFNEC.

Free Film Screening of Planet Ocean

Date:  Saturday 2nd February 2013

Time: 6.30pm for a 7pm start

Venue: Centre of Contemporary Arts, 96 Abbott St, Cairns

Bookings essential: 405 33779    marine@nullcafnec.org.au 

Join us for this special screening of ‘Planet Oceans’. The film takes us on a magnificent and unprecedented journey into the heart of the least known regions of our planet. It narrates the links between man and ocean, the future of humankind on Earth, the governance issue of the high seas and challenges we’ll have to face tomorrow.

This is the official trailer  http://youtu.be/7vYMUV2_das.

Coral Sea Lagoon Fun Day

Date: Sunday 3^rd February 2013

Time: from 11am to 4pm

Venue: Cairns Lagoon

Join us for a family fun day as the lagoon comes alive with the creatures of the Coral Sea.

Activities will include: Free BBQ, Face painting and many Fun activities and family games

Come out and embrace the Wet Season with us as we celebrate the colour and beauty of the Coral Sea… Make sure you bring your swimmers and a big smile!

The History of the Coral Sea Exhibition

Date: from 21^st January to 8^th February 2013

Venue: James Cook University Library

Experience the history and stories that link us with the Coral Sea.

The History of Coral Sea is an exhibition that will take you on a journey though the dramatic history of the Coral Sea and the changing perceptions towards our oceans.

Find out how shipwrecks, Matthew Flinders, emus, whales, war and natural wonders combine to form the history of one of Australia’s most remote and special ocean regions.

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More than 100,000 Australians have had their say on the Coral Sea, and the government has listened! Since late 2012, more of the Coral Sea has been fully protected.

Now, we are in the last public consultation period of the process and this is our last opportunity to have a say and ensure the best possible outcome for the Coral Sea.

With nearly 1 million square kilometres of deep blue water, coral reefs, and spectacular marine life, the Coral Sea Marine Reserve is truly an incredible win for our ocean. But right now, the reserve exists only on paper, not yet on water.

The draft management plan, while improving protection in the north-west of Osprey Reef, reduces the level of protection in the south-west of the reef.

This change has removed protection for a very important area of high ecological significance extending from the pelagic cleaning station at ‘Around the Bend’ (south-west of The Entrance to the Osprey lagoon) to False Entrance.

This area was protected under the government’s previous publicly released map.

In this final public consultation period we urge the Environment Minister Tony Burke to add the following finishing touches to the marine park:

1. Restore and widen the marine national park zone from the “cleaning station” at ‘Around the Bend’ (south-west of The Entrance to Osprey Lagoon) to False Entrance, in order to protect sharks and rays and other ocean giants.
2. Ensure new and adequate funding for implementation of the Coral Sea management plan.
3. Provide financial assistance to the long-line fishers who are willing to stop fishing down to 22 degrees south.
4. Delegate management of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to enable it to implement its world-class compliance management.

Send in a submission now to ensure that the Coral Sea Marine Reserve will be effectively managed.

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It is official. We can now celebrate the proclamation of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve!

photo © Lucy Trippett

This outcome was the combined effort of so many people! However, the work is not yet over. Now, we need to focus on ensuring the Marine Reserve has the best possible management plan. We have two more public consultation periods where your voice is important. The first started today.

The Director of National Parks is asking for public comment for a period of 30 days on the proposal to prepare a draft management plan of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve. Send in a submission now to ensure that the Coral Sea Marine Reserve will be effectively managed

The management plan will define all the activities that will be allowed within the Coral Sea Marine Reserve and how they must be carried out. The Coral Sea truly is the jewel in the crown of the new national system of marine reserves and we now need to urge the Federal Minister for the Environment to do all he can to protect this special place into the future by developing a comprehensive and effective management plan.

In particular we will urge the Minister to make two changes to the zoning system to help maintain the health of one of the most intact tropical pelagic ecosystems in the world.

1.      Extend the marine national park zone around Shark, Vema and Osprey Reefs further west by 10 kms to ensure that the important reef-associated pelagic species and reef slopes are fully protected.

2.      Provide financial assistance to the long line fishers who are willing to stop fishing down to 22 degrees South and extend the marine national park zone over this area.

During the recent public consultation period on the final zoning over 83,000 people entered submissions in favour of the marine reserve network and we would love to achieve the same results this time!

So please sign the submission and spread the word!

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Biological role of sharks

Sharks are ‘apex predators’ and play a vital role in the health of our ocean.  Removal of large predators from coral reef ecosystems throws out the natural balance. They are necessary to ensure the stability of the entire system. In both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, predator removal can cause a potentially irreversible cascade of complex knock-on effects (known as trophic cascades) that destabilise food-webs and the marine environment as a whole.  Due to the deeply interconnected food webs of our oceans, the full extent of potential and already occurring trophic cascades triggered by predator loss remains unknown, warranting further study amid growing concerns that cascades could be widespread.  We can spare the Coral Sea this fate.

Sharks in the Great Barrier Reef

A study conducted in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Marine Park reveals that shark populations are heavily affected by fishing but benefit greatly from the establishment of green zones (Marine National Park – closed to fishing). There is strong evidence that shark populations of the Great Barrier Reef are in decline due to fishing pressure, with Grey reef shark reduced to only 3% of natural populations on some fished reefs. Whitetip reef sharks had declined around 80% on fished reefs also. Small reserves or networks of reserves cannot offer sharks the same protection as a large scale marine reserve, due to the size of their home range.  The proposed scale of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve, its green zone and the removal of long-line fishing from two-thirds of the area will contribute greatly to the protection of shark populations.

Sharks in the Coral Sea

The proposed Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve encompasses almost 1 million km².  Within the marine reserve is a series of zones which provide different levels of protection.  Importantly, key areas considered as significant habitat to the oceanic species that reside within it, including sharks, are currently left unprotected.  It would take only minor changes to improve this greatly.

Osprey Reef, for example, one of the world’s iconic shark diving experiences, has been given only a hairline of protection.  The green (marine national park) zone extends just 30-50m from the reef edge, leaving the entire reef slope and reef-associated shark population vulnerable. Grey, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks are regularly seen here, with silvertips, tigers and great hammerheads patrolling the blue. At least ten species of pelagic sharks move through the Coral Sea including shortfin mako, bronze whalers, oceanic whitetips, hammerheads, tiger, and great white sharks. The Coral Sea is also home to a rare whale shark aggregation and 52 species of deepwater sharks and rays, 18 of which are unique to the area.

Our Ask

As the process for the effective establishment and management of the proposed Coral Sea Marine Reserve continues, we will now ask the Environment Minister Tony Burke to develop a comprehensive and effective management plan.

We will urge him to extend the marine national park zone around Shark, Vema and Osprey Reefs further west by 10kms to ensure that the important reef-associated pelagic species and reef slopes are fully protected as they are vital elements of the reef ecosystem.

In the southern Coral Sea, where the shark biodiversity hotpot is located, longline operators have indicated they are willing to exit the area down to 22degrees south, with fair financial compensation. We will then urge Burke to increase the protection of this area and effectively protect the seamounts, Townsville Trough (an important migratory pathway) and part of the shark biodiversity hotspot that has currently been left vulnerable.

Help us to make the Coral Sea a safe haven for sharks:  The Ocean takes care of us, let’s return the favour!

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photo courtesy of Xanthe Rivett

The national network of marine reserves recognises the value of our oceans as the common heritage of all Australians and announces Australia as a world’s leader in marine conservation.

During the recent public consultation period on the final zoning over 83,000 people entered submissions in favour of the marine reserve network

However, the process for the effective establishment and management of the national marine reserves network, including the proposed Coral Sea Marine Reserve, continues.

The next step, which we are expecting to be very soon, is the ‘proclamation’ of the marine reserves that will confirm the reserves boundaries and zoning and make them official – not just a plan. After the proclamation we will enter in what it is likely to be the most crucial phase of the process: the development of the management plan.

The management plan will define all the activities that will be allowed within the reserve and how they must be carried on.

Coral Sea Beauty © Lucy Trippett

By Australian law, management plans are prepared by the Director of National Parks, with public input, and approved by the federal Minister for the Environment following this process:

1. The Director of National Parks publishes a notice inviting public comment for a period of 30 days on the proposal to prepare a draft management plan and then he prepares the draft.
2. The draft management plan is released for public comment for a period of 30 days
3. The Director of National Parks provides the Minister for the Environment with the second draft management plan which takes into account the public comments on the draft plan.
4. The Minister considers the draft plan and, if satisfied, approves the management plan.
5. The plan is then tabled in both Houses of the Commonwealth Parliament and comes into force after 15 Parliamentary sitting days, provided it has not been disallowed.

This means that, following the proclamation, there will be two more rounds of public consultation for the management plans when it will be fundamental that we provide our input to ensure that the iconic Coral Sea is effectively protected.

The ocean sustains all life on earth and it is fundamental to act decisively to protect key areas of our unique marine environment. The Coral Sea truly is the jewel in the crown of the new national system of marine reserves and we now urge the Minister for the Environment to do all he can to protect this special place into the future by developing a comprehensive and effective management plan. So stay tuned and celebrate with us the proclamation but remember that the Coral Sea needs your input more than ever!

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Spread this message via facebook, twitter or your website today:

@Tony_Burke I want the #CoralSea highly protected as it is an important breeding & migration path for more than 28 species of #whales

In 2011 the Australian Government released a draft plan to protect nearly a million square kilometres of the Coral Sea.  The planned reserve would be free of oil and mining exploration and three-quarters protected from long-line fishing.  But, under the plan only 2 out of the 25, currently unprotected reefs of the Coral Sea would be fully protected leaving 90% of the reefs unprotected.

Whales have been the accidental victims of bycatch in the longline fishery of the Coral Sea, so this is a welcome step forward for whale conservation.  However, important areas such as the steep slopes of Frederick, Wreck and Cato Reef in the southern Coral Sea will remain unprotected and open to this and other forms of fishing.

A recent scientific study recorded thousands of toothed whale clicks around the steep slopes of these reefs indicating that they are important feeding grounds and habitat for toothed whales and should therefore be included in the marine national park zone.

Melon Headed Whales seen in pods 400 strong in the Coral SeaBetween April and November Australia’s eastern coastline is home to the spectacular acrobatic displays of migrating whales. The Coral Sea plays a central role in this journey, being one of the most important migration corridors.  It is home for more than 28 different species of whales and dolphins, 26 of which are on the IUCN Red-list of threatened species.  The incredible sight of 400 strong pods of melon-headed and false killer whales have been documented in this area.

There has been a major change in the attitude of Australia in the last 50 years from being one of the main whaling countries, to one of their protectors, fighting worldwide for the conservation of these beautiful animals.  By extending the marine national park area of the proposed Coral Sea Marine Reserve to include more of the reefs and sea mounts we will be making another step forward in ensuring the conservation of these beautiful and charismatic creatures.

Help us ensure the current plan is improved. Act today by asking Australia’s federal environment minister to extend the marine national park zone.

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Australia’s history of whaling to whale watching:

After the second war world the population of Humpback whales on the East Coast of Australia was about 10,000 individuals. Then, in just 10 years, from 1952 to 1962, almost 6,300 were harvested and processed by just one whaling station in Queensland.  When the effects of whaling on whale populations became evident, Australia adopted an anti-whaling policy and permanently ending whaling in its waters.  By starting to  promote the international protection and conservation of whales, Australians turned from a whaling nation to a protector of whales and were rewarded economically.  Today the whale watching industry is worth $42.5million to Australia.

Blue Whales in the Coral Sea

• Blue Whales are listed as endangered in Australia and by  IUCN

• Despite decades of protection, blue whales remain at about 2% of pre-whaling levels although their numbers appear to be slowly increasing at last.

• Blue whales feed in the Coral Sea and the protection of the winter breeding location in the Coral Sea would be a significant step towards ensuring the conservation of these species.

Minke Whales in the Coral Sea

• Minke whales are the smallest of the “great whales” or rorquals and they can be easily recognised by their narrow triangular snout
• Dwarf Minke whales have been exploited by whalers since at least the 1930s and now, due to their curious nature, they have became the main subject to whale watching and diving operations off of eastern Australia.
• In June and July, large numbers of Dwarf Minke whales inhabit the Coral Sea where they breed and it is unknown where they spend the rest of the year.

Humpback Whales in the Coral Sea

• Humpback Whales are listed as vulnerable in Australia, as least concern for IUCN and their population that  was hunted to very low levels is now slowly recovering
• The Coral Sea is considered an important nursery and breeding ground for Humpback whales that migrate in its tropical water from May-October where they calve, mate and fast by living off their layer of blubber (fat).

Humpback Whale: The Coral Sea is considered an important nursery and breeding ground for these magnificent ocean giants

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