You Bet Your Wrasse!!
Fronted by Barry the Wrasse, Protect Our Coral Sea is a group that you might all be interested in getting in to or at least hearing about. The group has some big named ambassadors such as Dr Sylvia Earle (aka Her Deepness, holds the women’s record for the deepest solo dive at 1000m), Jim Clark and Isabel Lucas (from the documentary The Cove).
The group is aiming to make Australia’s Coral Sea a protected area. Why is the coral sea such a big deal? For us it is the fact that there could potentially be a large (we’re talking 1 million square kilometres) marine reserve on our doorstep, but less selfishly it is one of the last places on earth where large marine animals – such as sharks, tuna and billfish, can be found in any great numbers. We are lucky enough to presently be so close to an area that still has 90% of its large fish. The area is highly diverse and has often been referred to as the “Serengeti of the Sea”, with remote islands, towering underwater pinnacles, migratory mega fauna as well as turtles, dolphins, sharks, rays and seabirds and of course numerous species of coral.
Why so large? Scientists believe that the only way to protect such migratory and pelagic (ocean-going) species is to protect a large single area. Once an area of abundance and hopefully over-abundance is established the hope is that these species will then trickle down the interspersed reefs that are the GBR.
A protected area would also act as a monument to those who fought and lost their lives in the crucial battles that took place in the Coral Sea in WWII and that ultimately saved our borders from invasion.
For more information, videos or to sign the petition please visit the Protect the Coral Seas website or join their group on facebook.
Stay tuned for further info on this group…
From the team that love getting wet,
Diving Townsville
