WAMSI

Temperatures soaring in surface and deeper water causing fish kills and coral bleaching Elevated sea temperatures that have caused fish kills and coral bleaching along Western Australia’s coast, have been detected as far deep as 300 metres in some areas. The Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) is managing the ‘Advancing predictions of WA marine heatwaves and impacts on marine ecosystems’ project which aims to better predict and manage marine heatwaves. It is primarily funded by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation in WA. Dr Jessica Benthuysen, an oceanographer from the Australian Institute of Marine Science, who is one of the scientists working on the project, said the marine heatwave extended across much of the northwest. “The temperatures reached unprecedented levels through December and January.” Dr Benthuysen . “In mid to late January we saw warm waters exceeding three degrees above normal along the shelf from the southern Pilbara to Ningaloo and Shark Bay.” “Monitoring shows the warm temperatures are not confined to just surface waters and have reached to at least 300 metres in the past few months, which has helped the extreme event to remain for such an extended period,” she said. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7Unq_Cy Photos by Dr Chris Fulton (AIMS) in collaboration with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

SATELLITE TRACKING REVEALS KEY TO PREDICTING WA's ROCK LOBSTER POPULATIONS Western Australian scientists have developed a new method to monitor and predict WA’s rock lobster populations using satellite technology, in a study that could transform fisheries management worldwide. The study is part of the Integrated Coastal Analyses and Sensing Technology (ICoAST) project funded by the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre’s partners — The University of Western Australia, CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development — and the Western Rock Lobster Industry’s Partnership Agreement with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and WA Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation. News about the research here from WAMSI partner UWA: Photos courtesy of Simon de Lestang DPIRD https://lnkd.in/gAkbhcvU

Join us for WA's inaugural Biosecurity Careers and Networking Event Are you passionate about protecting Western Australia’s agriculture and environment from biosecurity threats? Whether you're an industry professional, research scientists, student, or simply curious about the field, WA’s inaugural Biosecurity Careers and Networking Event is the perfect opportunity to connect, learn and explore career pathways. 📅 Thursday 13th March 📍 The Loft, Murdoch University 🎟 FREE - Limited spots available Attendees will enjoy refreshments and networking opportunities, as well as presentations from biosecurity experts, including: - Brenton von Takach - WA Premier’s Early to Mid-Career (EMC) Fellow, Curtin University - Tracey Vinnicombe - Kimberley Plant and Invasive Species Biosecurity Officer, Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development - Johann van der Merwe - Internationally recognised biosecurity & conservation leader This event is hosted by Murdoch University Harry Butler Institute, The Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute and the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration. Spaces are limited, so register now https://lnkd.in/g-d9H2Ms

A powerful force is stopping the Indian Ocean from cooling itself – spelling more danger for Ningaloo Widespread coral bleaching at #Ningaloo Reef off Western Australia’s coast has deeply alarmed scientists and conservationists. Photos captured by divers, published by The Guardian last week, show severe bleaching at several sites along the reef, which runs for 260 kilometres off the state’s northwest. WAMSI is managing the ‘Advancing predictions of WA marine heatwaves and impacts on marine ecosystems’ project and this article from The Conversation is by project lead scientist Professor Nicole Jones and researcher PhD candidate Kelly Boden-Hawes - both from The University of Western Australia. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gGzk-rsm

Join our Marine Science Program and Swan Coastal District teams at Mettams Pool in Marmion Marine Park for Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 2 March. This event will kickstart SeaWeek 2025, which runs from 2 – 7 March. This free event will begin with some short talks about the work DBCA staff do to research, monitor, conserve and manage marine parks in Western Australia and on Perth’s coastline. The talks will be followed by a group clean-up effort to remove rubbish on the beach at Mettams Pool. It will be a great opportunity to talk to marine scientists and rangers in a casual setting, while also volunteering to reduce the amount of rubbish on our beaches. Everyone is welcome, but spaces are limited so be sure to register early. Please ensure you wear enclosed footwear and come prepared for hot and sunny weather. 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘱 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘋𝘢𝘺 - 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 📌 Mettams Pool, North Beach ⌚ 9am to 11am, 2 March 2025 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/g4W2Ev_7 #marine #conservation #cleanup #volunteers #cleanupaustraliaday #seaweek Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Clean Up Australia Ltd

CORAL BLEACHING AT NINGALOO Coral bleaching has been discovered in WA's famous Ningaloo Reef following a marine heatwave off the state's north west coast. These interviews on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Perth are with Paul Gamblin from the Australian Marine Conservation Society and PhD candidate Sina Pinter from WAMSI partner The University of Western Australia UWA Oceans Institute (Sina is also working on the WAMSI managed ‘Advancing predictions of WA marine heatwaves and impacts on marine ecosystems’ project. ) Photo from CCWA website. https://lnkd.in/gKq8_MxF

New research report: Fishing for Knowledge Excited to share the results of our multi-year research project, supported by the Australian Government's Our Marine Parks Grants program! This research explores professional fishers’ Local Ecological Knowledge #LEK of marine environments across Western Australia. Through interviews with 36 industry knowledge holders, we document how a lifetime of experience on the water, coupled with intergenerational knowledge exchange, has cultivated rich and largely underappreciated knowledge systems. Our report explores the intricacies of fishers' knowledge including how it arises, who it is shared with, and the breadth of marine topics fishers are interested in sharing. Fishers discussed a range of ecology and fisheries topics including nuanced observations on heatwave impacts, rare and endangered species aggregations and movements, and shifting cognitive baselines. These perspectives highlight exciting opportunities for collaborative research that bridges scientific and practice-based expertise. We also outline five principles to ensure that fishers’ knowledge is respected in research. Our work lays the foundation for stronger, ongoing partnerships between fishers, fisheries science, and the broader scientific community.  Share your experiences engaging with fishers’ knowledge in the comments below! Find the full report here: http://bit.ly/4gokYmk For more details on knowledge exchange with fishers, read more here: https://lnkd.in/gJ3q6Zrh A pleasure working with: Matt Navarro, Natasha Pauli, Harriet Davies, Andrew Knight, and Tim Langlois This research was funded by the Australian Government's Our Marine Park Grants program. The University of Western Australia, UWA Oceans Institute Photo: Robin Bottrell

News update from WAMSI partner organisation Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

Monitoring has revealed it’s a good year for loggerhead turtle hatchlings in QLD, but extreme heat has meant bad news for flatback turtle hatchlings in WA’s Pilbara region. Marine turtles are highly vulnerable to climate change. Studies have shown that flatback turtle eggs, which are laid underground on beaches, won’t hatch above 32.5 degrees Celsius. Moreover, warm nests mostly produce female hatchlings. “Long lived species such as marine turtles can withstand the odd year when reproduction fails. But if breeding seasons such as the one we’ve had in WA this summer become the norm, then our fairly stable sea turtle populations will start to decline,” said Biodiversity Council marine turtle expert Prof Nicki Mitchell from The University of Western Australia. “Taking climate action to minimise global warming is really important for the long-term survival of marine turtles…Cooler beaches should be considered a high priority for protection.” Learn more via our website: https://lnkd.in/gUDSXixR #turtles #OceanScience #MarineResearch #Conservation #climateaction #climatechange

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS - JANUARY 2025 The latest highlights from the WAMSI Westport Marine Science Program are now live on the WAMSI 'Cockburn Sound' program page. You can read about research projects on 🌊 squid and whiting 🌊 find out how an underwater robot is being trialled to see if it can 'scale-up' seagrass restoration and 🌊 discover more about the hearing of sea lions. 🌊 There's also an article on the food web of Cockburn Sound. This is the sixth publication we've produced to shine a light on this important, large scale research program. 🐟 More than 150 researchers have worked on the WWMSP program. https://lnkd.in/eD5aKxeJ Ben Saunders Chong Wei Will O'Brien Glenn Hyndes Kathryn McMahon Professor Jennifer Verduin Luke Twomey James Tweedley Gary Kendrick Christine Erbe Euan Harvey Stephen Newman Jenny Shaw Alicia Sutton Dr Josh Bonesso #marinescience #research