Marine scientists will be working with coastal industries, communities and Tasmanian Aboriginal communities on a whole-of-reef-ecosystem restoration project to improve the health of Tasmanian reef ecosystems and bring back giant kelp forests.
The $3.5 million project will include rearing and replanting giant kelp, harvesting grazing sea urchins, weeding out competing seaweed species and rebuilding local lobster populations to keep sea urchin numbers in check.
The project is led by the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), in partnership with The Nature Conservancy Australia, Eaglehawk Dive Centre and Sea Forest, and working with Tasmanian Aboriginal communities. Commercial sea urchin and lobster fishers and the Tasmanian Commercial Dive Association will also provide the essential assistance needed to make this project a success.
IMAS ecologist and project leader, Associate Professor Scott Ling, said the project focus is on improving ecological conditions for the threatened giant kelp marine forest community, with reef repair work already underway at five of 20 sites, spanning around 10 hectares of reef area.
“The cooperation between scientists, marine harvest industries, government and Aboriginal communities will create capacity for local restoration initiatives and industries to bring back giant kelp forests,” Assoc Prof Ling said.
“In our previous work supported by Sea Forest, we’ve demonstrated we can regrow these underwater trees and even patches of forest. But we are fast learning that, to grow the forests, we must grow human capacity and restoration industries.
“So we are taking a whole-of-reef ecosystem approach, utilising recent breakthroughs in kelp re-seeding, and implementing the new understanding of local ecological conditions that enable giant kelp to thrive.”
Tasmanian sea urchin harvesters will play a key role in the project, carrying out targeted harvests of overgrazing sea urchins at the giant kelp restoration sites, and undertaking weeding and reseeding activities. Meanwhile, commercial lobster fishers will perform targeted translocations of lobsters to these sites, to accelerate the rebuilding of local populations of urchin-eating lobsters.
Recreational diver training in giant kelp restoration techniques, along with building dive ‘voluntourism’ opportunities, will be an important part of the project.
“It will be an exciting and unique opportunity for recreational divers to assist with the establishment and ongoing maintenance of giant kelp forests at local dive tourist sites on the Tasman Peninsula,” Assoc Prof Ling said.
“It’s also a very practical way for us to support Aboriginal communities in their efforts to connect with and care for their Sea Country, because we know that giant kelp forests are both ecologically and culturally significant.”
IMAS Executive Director, Professor Nicole Webster said it was exciting to have commercial fishers, the seaweed growing industry, the recreational dive sector, conservation organisations and Tasmanian Aboriginal communities as collaborators on this important project.
“Together, we will be doing the repair work required to safeguard remnant forests and bring back the local Tasmanian reef ecosystem – a system that has undergone collapse in recent decades, and of which the giant kelp is most certainly the flagship,” Prof Webster said.
Tasmania’s giant kelp forests have declined by 95% due to ocean warming and were listed as a Threatened Ecological Community in 2012 under national environment law. Recovery action for giant kelp is now being prioritised through the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032.
The project is funded by the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species program. Reef repair work permits have been established with Tasmanian Government and subcontracts are in place, with Seafood Industry Tasmania to oversee the Tasmanian Commercial Dive Association divers to harvest sea urchins and out-plant giant kelp. Lobster translocations will be overseen by the Tasmanian Rock Lobster Fishermen’s Association.
Cover image: This giant kelp forest is part of the
remaining 5% in Tasmania, which have declined
by 95% due to ocean warming. Photo: Scott Ling