Seaweek - Sea World and Seagrass Watching

In celebration of Seaweek, 20 keen science students from Year 9 Browns Plains High School will visit Sea World on March 7th for a special tour before moving to the Gold Coast Spit to monitor seagrass. Jacobs Well Environmental Education Centre teacher, Gina Ygoa, said that Seaweek, from 2nd to 8th March, is held annually to focus people's attention on the marine environment and its sustainable management. “The theme for this year’s Seaweek is ‘Extinction – a Saw point’, highlighting the plight of the declining sawfish and threats to our other marine plants and animals. “At Sea World, the students will see turtles, sharks and sting rays, and, of course, dolphins and pelicans,” said Ms Ygoa. “And, after the tour, they’ll have the opportunity to adopt an area of seagrass to monitor its growth and health on a quarterly basis.” Gold Coast Seagrass Watch Coordinators Linda Ray and Sheila Davis will be joining the class at Sea World and will take them out in the afternoon to the Broadwater where they are likely to establish a seagrass monitoring site. “The Gold Coast has it all,” said Ms Davis. “There are many sites with shorebirds, soldier crabs, stingrays and seagrass – all vulnerable to the on-going impacts of fishing and boating traffic. Some of these sites were threatened by the proposed cruise ship terminal and super yacht marina project and are now threatened by the predicted impacts of climate change, as are all marine environments. By monitoring seagrass, we help ensure its protection.” In engaging the students in the curriculum of shoreline studies, Ms Ygoa said that she will introduce the students to the natural processes of: shorebirds preparing for their long migratory flights back to the northern hemisphere, the marching of the bright aqua soldier crabs in their thousands, and the seagrass beds and their role in the coastal ecosystems. “Local diver, Ian Banks’ extraordinary underwater photography, showing the beauty of the wildlife in the Seaway and in the seagrass beds, will also be featured,” said Ms Davis. “Ian’s recent dives monitoring the seagrass bed in the front of Wave Break Island have netted great photos of the amazing wildlife found there, which will inspire many budding photographers and marine biologists. Ian may even provide the students with some underwater photography tips.” “It will be a real hands-on experience,” said Ms Ygoa. “We will also give the students information about the legislation and agreements designed to protect these values and how well they have been working to make the link between the law and natural processes.” Seagrass in the Gold Coast is monitored three times a year and the next sessions will be Saturday, 29th March at Currumbin Creek and Saturday 5th April in the Broadwater. Interested participants should email [email protected] or ring 5530-6600 for more info. For more information about Seaweek visit the Marine Education Society of Australasia www.mesa.edu.au. For more information: Sheila Davis 5530-6600 / 0423-305-478 or Gina Ygoa 0409-349-640.