The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) were part of a forum of national experts discussing the plight of turtles and dugongs at Sea World last week.

GBRMPA Species Expert Dr Mark Read made a presentation to the forum about predictions for the 2011-2012 wet season, human-related impacts on these species and the management strategies being utilised to aid in their recovery.

Just prior to the forum, Dr Read said the meeting was a great opportunity for experts from varying fields to discuss current and future management strategies that will aid these species in their recovery from the extreme weather that occurred earlier this year.

"At the forum turtle and dugong experts involved in Marine Park management, conservation and research will discuss the impacts currently facing these species and how best to manage these to aid their recovery.

"At this stage weather forecasters are predicting a moderate La Niña event this season which will produce milder weather patterns than last year's events.  Despite this we are still anticipating the species' main food source, seagrass meadows, will be adversely affected by these weather patterns so it is important we minimise all other impacts.

"We are working with industry and communities to manage the human-related impacts on these species.  These include coastal development, habitat degradation, boat strikes, marine debris, sedimentation and pollution, oil spills and other threats to water quality.

"Work is already being done in partnership with community groups, industry and government agencies to minimise the human-related impacts on these species and this meeting will provide us with another avenue to review the effectiveness of current measures and further enhance them."

Efforts have already been stepped up to improve prospects for these animals while they cope with the current seagrass shortage with a number of management strategies already being implemented by government agencies and industry.

Fishers are already voluntarily modifying their practices to minimise their impacts on turtles and dugongs and the QSIA have been developing and promoting these "best practice" fishing methods.

An extra sixty people have been trained in how to perform necropsy examinations on stranded animals so that vital information is able to be collated about the animals' cause of death.

Information campaigns are also being run by both the Department of Environment and Resource Management and GBRMPA encouraging boaties and other users of the Marine Park to 'Go slow – lookout below' as a reminder to watch for animals and to slow down when going over shallow water and seagrass beds or to avoid these areas all together. 

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