MARINE PESTS AND THREATS

Our lives depend on a healthy marine environment. We know that exotic species can throw our ecosystems out of balance. Do hitchhikers in ballast water and clinging to the bottom of ships arriving from other waters affect the health of Australian waters? AUSMEPAs Marine Pests and Threats unit of work (here) for students and teachers puts that question into perspective. The newly renovated pages have just gone live! If you wish to learn and share information on this interesting topic please visit our Curriculum Unit webpage at http://www.ausmepa.org.au/pests/default.asp?pageid=2&nav=2  Use this website to research the facts and decide on the actions needed to prevent marine pests and threats coming to Australia either in ships’ ballast water or attached to ships’ hulls.

Giant Cuttlefish

Why do the big cuttles like South Australia so much? For more info have a look at this Catalyst article.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2695601.htm

The narration begins..."At first glance, this rocky coastline in South Australia doesn’t look all that special. Fringed by gas refineries, lead smelters, and steel works, it’s more industrial landscape than pristine wilderness. Perched at the top of the Spencer Gulf, even its name - Point Lowly - doesn’t hold much promise.But in the eyes of the giant Australian cuttlefish, there is nowhere else on the planet to be."

Marine pests; finding a use for them?

This news article highlights how some think that marine pests (N Pacific Seastars) may be put to good use by harvesting for use in pharmaceuticals. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/29/2640227.htm?site=news

Free tips for education around marine pests can be found on units of work in AUSMEPA's Pests and Threats unit http://www.ausmepa.org.au/other.asp?pageId=14#