Species such as the Crown of thorns Starfish (Ancanthaster Planci) and the Northern Pacific Seastar (Asterias Amurensis) HAve become new predators in the Great barrier reef and are slowly but surely eatinghteir way along the reef. Australia’s large volume of shipping trade with South-east Asia and the similarity of marine environments increases the risk of introducing marine species. It is a nuisance for vessel owners because it builds calcareous tubes on hard surfaces such as boat hulls which can reduce the boat’s performance and speed, and increase costs of maintenance. This mussel is considered a potential threat and is included on the Next Pest List (potential pests which have not yet established). With the large cargo ships that often land on these ports come, There are many marine pests that have found their way to Australia with the help of ships. Change ), Talking about Biosensors, Diagnostics and Science as well as Cocktails. ( Log Out / Exotic marine species can also be introduced unintentionally when released from aquariums or deliberately introduced for aquaculture. This has occurred by ships storing large volumes of sea water as ballast for long voyages to help stabilise the craft which is then jettisoned at the final destination. In terms of invasive species, the outlook for the Great Barrier Reef does not look great. In recent years, the state has been experiencing a mining boom, so shipping activity has increased exponentially. The Great Barrier Reef is located just off the coast of one of Australia's largest states - Queensland. Marine biologists believe there are at least 5,000 and possibly as many as 10,000 species of mollusks inhabiting the Great Barrier Reef, the most visible being … The released water with larvae has hit the rich warm bed of the reef and these invasive species begin to take hold. Maori wrasse is a long-lived species, but has a very slow breeding rate. Despite port surveys to define the state of introductions and occurrences of non indigenous species, knowledge about the occurrence and abundance of toxic microalgae in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area remains scarce and incomplete, especially in regard to introductions and invasiveness. In order to combat the spread of starfish- the Australian authorities have invested $50m AUD in the hope of finding a weakness in teh life-cycle of the starfish. So we all knew that coral reefs are pretty endangered at the minute but in research released today another cause has been identified. Australia’s large volume of shipping trade with South-east Asia and the similarity of marine environments increases the risk of introducing marine species. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It is a native of the Caribbean which inhabits muddy coastal lagoons. Yachts and smaller vessels can also unintentionally provide a mechanism for transporting marine invaders either as fouling or in ballast water. The discovery caused concern because in other parts of the world populations of the Asian green mussel can grow quickly and cover underwater walls, boat hulls and intake pipes and compete with native fauna. In 2001, the Asian green mussel (Perna viridis) was found on a vessel’s hull in Cairns harbour. Great Barrier Reef, complex of coral reefs, shoals, and islets in the Pacific Ocean off the northeastern coast of Australia that is the longest and largest reef complex in the world. Along with changing global sea temperatures & storms, Invasive species have greatly contributed in the destruction of coral reefs. In the right conditions, the exotic species carried as fouling can be released or spawn and establish in new locations. More than 150 million tonnes of ballast water is discharged into Australia’s major ports each year. 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