Volunteer divers boost marine research

Recreational scuba divers interested in the conservation and protection of the marine environment will have the chance to contribute to ongoing marine research through an innovative project being launched at Nelson Bay tomorrow (November 27).

The project funded by the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the Australian Government’s Caring for Country Program, is being delivered by Southern Cross University’s National Marine Science Centre.

The program, including training on land and in the water, will be rolled out along the coast, starting with Nelson Bay this weekend.

“If you are a scuba diver and are looking for ways to contribute towards positive conservation outcomes in the marine environment, this program is ideal,” said Bob Edgar, project officer from the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour.

“Not only will you meet like-minded people, but you will also get the chance to acquire skills to enhance your diving experiences and develop a real sense of stewardship for the local marine environment.”

Mr Edgar said the project would focus on improving volunteer divers’ skills in three areas – low impact diving techniques, measuring and monitoring marine debris and surveying fish and invertebrate species.

He said scuba divers armed with underwater digital cameras were capturing amazing images of marine life and were increasingly looking for ways to become engaged in marine knowledge generation to help contribute to conservation and management of the marine environment.

“The project is designed to increase the capacity of underwater volunteers to help fill knowledge gaps and foster greater enjoyment of marine habitats,” Mr Edgar said.

“The project will facilitate the formation of new groups in areas where these are lacking and provide training in standardised monitoring methods to allow effective collection of relevant data across the entire state.”

Associate Professor Steve Smith, also from the National Marine Science Centre, said Australia’s coastline was so vast there were not enough marine scientists to gather all the data necessary to facilitate effective management.

“By engaging with volunteers we are trying to help mitigate against declines in the health of our coastal environment,” Professor Smith said. “This program will allow us to get information that will assist managers at the scale of the entire NSW coast and also at local scales.”

Will Owyong, a recreational diver and underwater photographer, will be one of the participants in the training program at Nelson Bay on Saturday.

"There’s a whole underwater world the community is unaware of and how it affects them. The more people get to know about what’s under there, and how these systems benefit them and the community as a whole, the more inclined they are to protect them," Will said.

Community awareness, education and conservation of the marine environment is a high priority for the CMA. The CMA also recognises that volunteer groups have the capacity to conduct research that complements many other partnership projects including the NSW marine habitat mapping project, and activities which enhance marine habitats such as marine debris collection.

Scuba divers interested in taking part in the project can email Margo Smith at combinedhunterunderwatergroup@gmail.com or contact Bob Edgar at bedgar@nmsc.edu.au

Photo: Associate Professor Steve Smith. MEDIA PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: The training program will be held on Saturday, November 27 at the NSW Marine Park Office, Teramby Road, Nelson Bay. Media are invited to attend from noon to 1pm for photo/filming opportunities.