Ocean Optimism: Innovative Conservation in the Southern Great Barrier Reef

Although public awareness of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is widespread, more people are finally coming around to the wonders of the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

Whereas the GBR is best recognized as the world’s largest tropical coral reef ecosystem, its counterpart is a rocky kelp forest along Australia’s temperate southern coastline. However, it also faces unique challenges deserving of attention. Fortunately, several conservation projects are underway to build resilience in this underwater landscape.

What Is the Southern Great Barrier Reef?

Stretching 8,000 kilometers along Australia’s coastline — about 4971 miles — the Great Southern Reef is a mixture of warm and cold water from the tropics and the Southern Ocean. The conditions are just right for lush golden kelp, bull kelp and giant kelp forests to grow in abundance, anywhere from 2 meters to 30 meters deep — or roughly 6.5 feet to 98 feet. 

Like the GBR, the Southern Great Barrier Reef is a hub for biodiversity, including 731 fish species and 350 echinoderm species like sea urchins, starfish, and sea cucumbers. There are also over 1,000 species of sponges in both its deep and shallow water.

The kelp forests are the most important, and much of the seaweed is endemic to that particular region. Kelp forests provide habitat for diverse marine animals and generate $500 billion annually for ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration and eliminating nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from the water. 

In addition to serving as a refuge for organisms, kelp forests combat ocean acidification and its harmful effects on coral and shellfish. As they undergo photosynthesis, the seaweed increases pH levels in the water as it absorbs carbon dioxide. Kelp is also nutrient-dense — meaning it’s essential to food security — and maintains significant cultural value worldwide. 

What Problems Is the Southern Great Barrier Reef Facing?

The Southern Great Barrier Reef is enduring an ecological crisis driven by climate change, coastal development, pollution, invasive species, and a lack of protection. Only 14% of Queensland waters are no-fishing zones, while just 1% of Tasmanian waters are protected.

Warming ocean temperatures pose the greatest risk to Australia’s southern marine ecosystem — 70% of the species in the Great Southern Reef are endemic to Australia with no close relatives, such as the giant creeper snail and red velvet fish. Their dwindling populations are of grave concern.

Most alarming, however, is warming water and changes to wind and ocean currents that have sent nutrient-deficient water further south than normal. As a result, a mere 5% of kelp forests remain in the southern reef region. 

Conservation Spotlight: 4 Initiatives Protecting the Great Southern Reef

Several organizations have launched conservation initiatives across the Southern Great Barrier Reef to address its ecological challenges. While some environmental changes are beyond many groups’ control without collective climate change mitigation, the following projects are making waves in one of Australia’s most beloved ocean habitats.  

1. Great Southern Reef Foundation

The Great Southern Reef Foundation has several restoration projects underway — the most notable is researching and rehabilitating the kelp forests. For example, scientists have grown over 6 million juvenile golden kelp spores onto twine or pellets they intend to cultivate and reintroduce to Port Phillip Bay.

They have also established a golden kelp seed bank in Victoria to preserve the vegetation’s genetic diversity and ensure long-term resilience to warming ocean water. The seeds are collected from various areas around Port Phillip Bay and will be integral to future restoration efforts. In fact, scientists have already started expanding the seed bank to new sites throughout Victoria.

Another project entails transplanting healthy crayweed from thriving areas to degraded ones. Crayweed forests have endured significant devastation, particularly due to pollution and exploitation from the 1970s to the 1990s. Yet, they’re a crucial habitat and nursery ground for marine species and are important to the local economy. So far, the initiative has been successful — the crayweed is surviving and reproducing to heal the Great Southern Reef.

2. Eye on the Reef Monitoring Program

The Eye on the Reef monitoring program is ideal for anyone who frequently visits the Great Barrier Reef and the southern region. Using an app, they can log valuable insights regarding reef health, marine animal sightings and incidents that affect its long-term protection.

The app is GPS-enabled while using a smartphone, making it easy for citizen scientists to record their observations. Their submissions can also include photos of wildlife, pests, pollution, and bleaching events.

Features like the Rapid Monitoring Survey allow researchers to monitor changes in one area over time. Meanwhile, the Health and Impact Survey has enabled swift and targeted management actions to ensure reef vitality and resilience. 

3. Great Southern Reef Project

The Great Southern Reef Project is a collaboration between researchers, universities and management authorities to collect insights and create research activities in the temperate region. Its mission is to use scientific data to protect the reef and raise public and political awareness of its value. 

Some of the main stakeholders include teams from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, the University of New South Wales, the New South Wales Government, the Australian Government National Environmental Science Programme, and the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions. 

4. Range Extension Database and Mapping Project

The Range Extension Database and Mapping Project (REDMAP) is a citizen science initiative similar to the Eye on the Reef monitoring program. 

People can share sightings of uncommon marine wildlife in their region, giving scientists insight into how far species extend into various distribution ranges. These migrations are mostly due to changing environmental conditions, such as ocean warming. 

The findings make it easier for researchers to focus on important research areas. Some of the more recent sightings submitted by citizen scientists include a red velvetfish in Victoria and a starry toadfish in Tasmania.

Saving the Southern Great Barrier Reef One Project at a Time

The combined efforts of several conservation initiatives give hope to a restored and healthy marine habitat in Australia’s Southern Great Barrier Reef. While this area may not yet be as recognizable as the Great Barrier Reef, newfound awareness ensures it receives the attention it deserves for ecological vitality.