Volunteers from The University of Queensland’s Underwater Club are mapping and surveying critical habitats of the grey nurse shark in southern Queensland.
“The population of grey nurse sharks along Australia’s east coast has been listed as critically endangered under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999,” project coordinator and UQ marine scientist Chris Roelfsema said.
“This means there is a high chance this population could become extinct in the wild if urgent remedial actions are not taken.”
Grey nurse sharks are docile despite their fierce appearance, and feed mainly on fish. They are not known to attack humans.
Mr Roelfsema said that in the past, the species had an undeserved reputation as a man-eater and thousands were killed by spear and line fishers up to the 1970s, causing a dramatic decline in their numbers. They are now fully protected in Australian waters.
“There are five areas in Queensland waters that have been identified as critical habitats for the grey nurse shark,” he said. “Four of these are within the Moreton Bay Marine Park (Henderson’s Rock, Cherub’s Cave and China Wall off Moreton Island, and Flat Rock off North Stradbroke Island) and one off Double Island Point, Rainbow Beach (Wolf Rock).”
Unidive received funding from the World Wildlife Fund and the Threatened Species Network to undertake this project being coordinated by Chris Roelfsema and Carley Bansemer.
“By the time we complete the project in December 2003, we will have an enhanced understanding of habitat selection by grey nurse sharks,” Mr Roelfsema said. “We will understand more about the biological and physical characteristics of the sites and will also produce and distribute georeferenced bathymetry maps of the critical habitat sites. We will also develop a repeatable, cost-effective and scientifically sound monitoring framework for these sites.”
Unidive has also received great support from Trevor Jackson, Captain of MV Esperance Star. Esperance Star will become the place of residence for many Unidive members during four trips to research the sites north of Moreton Island. In addition to providing a diving platform and shelter, Trevor brings to the project a wealth of local knowledge about these underwater habitats that will greatly enhance the information gained during this project.
Ken Holzheimer of Point Lookout Scuba Dive Charters has also been assisting Unidive with the use of his vessel and his long-term knowledge and experience of grey nurse sharks at Flat Rock at North Stradbroke Island.
Protection of critical grey nurse shark habitats has been recommended by National and State government. The data collected through this project and the monitoring program designed will provide for the ability to assess the effectiveness of any management measure implemented (and thus justify their implementation) to protect grey nurse shark and to improve the ecological health of these sites.
Unidive has a history of volunteering their divers for community-based marine monitoring programs, receiving a Coastcare grant in 2001 to conduct an ecological assessment of the reefs off North Stradbroke Island.
“After the success of our Coastcare study, the volunteers of Unidive can once again be proud of committing vast amounts of their time not only through diving but also on the ground with planning, analysis of data and preparation of the final report,” Chris said.
The Unidive Volunteer Team ask you to also help save the grey nurse shark by reporting any sightings and forwarding any photos which can be used to identify individuals and more closely monitor the population to Carley Bansemer at QPWS (carley.bansemer@epa.qld.gov.au, 07 3821 9019).
For further information on how you can assist please contact Chris Roelfsema on (07) 3365 2529 or email c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au.
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