$164 million committed to the Crown-of-thorns Starfish Control Program
The Federal Government has announced a further $164 million committed to protecting the reef from COTS
The Federal Government will commit a further $162 million over the next eight years to expand the highly successful Crown-of-thorns Starfish (COTS) Control Program, Senator Nita Green announced on Monday in Cairns.
Since the program began a decade ago 700,000 hectares and 330 coral reefs on the Great Barrier Reef have been screened for the highly damaging COTS, and culled.
It’s a labour-intensive solution that employs over 100 skilled and highly trained divers to personally inject ox bile salts or household vinegar into each COTS.
“What currently have seven vessels operating out there full-time across the marine park, all the way from the tip of Cape York down to the southern end of the Capricorn Bunker reefs,” David Williamson, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said.
In just 27 years the Great Barrier Reef lost half of the coral cover, with 42% of the damage caused by COTS, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
How scientists learnt to eradicate COTS
After a seismic effort, the program estimates that over 1.1 million COTS have been eradicated. For each COTS culled, there is a significant protection for the reef.
To feed the COTS squeezes out its stomach to encircle the coral mass. With time, 90% of the coral tissue can be destroyed.
It’s taken time to establish the most effective way to eradicate COTS. Scientists have attempted to starve them, splice them in half and cut off their legs yet somehow the creature repairs any damage. You can remove the legs and new ones will emerge. They are hardy creatures.
Jobs in FNQ will be protected
Not only does this investment protect one of the world's natural wonders, but protects jobs, both directly and indirectly.
“This COTS Control Program is providing more than 145 Reef jobs directly in regional Queensland, including employment opportunities for Reef Traditional Owners. But of course, protecting our Reef also protects the more than 60,000 jobs it supports and the billions it contributes to our national economy,” Senator Green said.
With a large financial commitment, the Government has high hopes for an environmental and economic return. “We want to see a healthy and resilient Reef that people can visit and enjoy for many generations to come. And we want to ensure that good, reliable jobs are built on and around the Reef for people to build their lives on”, Senator Green said.