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Seagrass Watching South East Qld
Up to three times a year an unusual collection of people - divers, surf skiers and others up to their knees in mud - can be seen at the edges of Moreton Bay.
What are they doing?
They're taking part in Seagrass Watch, an initiative that uses trained volunteers to help monitor seagrass meadows along the Queensland coast.
Originally developed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Seagrass Watch has now spread to neighbouring countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Funding
Over the past two years the Australian Government has given $137,000 to the Moreton Bay Community Seagrass Watch Program through the South East Queensland (SEQ) Catchments.
Work is also supported by a range of other government, non-profit and business organisations. These include the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland's Bayside Branch, Queensland Conservation Council, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Port of Brisbane Corporation and Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort.
Activities and achievements
Data collected by volunteers goes to agencies responsible for managing Moreton Bay and its catchments. It gives them early warning of major changes in seagrass quantity and health.
Sean Galvin, Community Partnerships Manager for the Bay and Islands area, has been involved in the Seagrass Watch program for five years.
"Lots of people think seagrass meadows are just swamps that would be better off as canal estates," he said.
"But they're not - they're vital nursery areas for fisheries and important habitats for creatures like dugongs and turtles.
"Monitoring these areas not only tells us about the health of our bays, it shows us how we're managing our catchments."
Herds of dugong graze on the seagrass meadows in Moreton Bay. The meadows are in fair condition, but losses to the west have reduced suitable grazing areas and dugong numbers, now estimated at around 600, are dropping.
Sean talks to community groups about how important seagrass is.
"I try to bring it back to what's familiar," he said. "So I ask people if they like eating prawns. And then I tell them that if the seagrass is destroyed, there won't be any prawns for Christmas.
"That seems to make them re-think!"
In Moreton Bay there are 241 volunteers involved in Seagrass Watch and 57 sites being monitored. Field training and information days are also held, fact sheets and newsletters produced and a web site maintained.
More information
- Seagrass Watch: www.seagrasswatch.org
- SEQ Catchments: www.seqcatchments.com.au
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