As part of a broader investigation into how marine parks are faring across the tropics, RLS volunteers Mez Larkin, Andrew Green and Graham Edgar recently headed to the ‘epicentre’ of coral reef diversity, the Raja Ampat islands of western Indonesia.
As part of a broader investigation into how marine parks are faring across the tropics, RLS volunteers Mez Larkin, Andrew Green and Graham Edgar recently headed to the ‘epicentre’ of coral reef diversity, the Raja Ampat islands of western Indonesia.
The relaxed and noted divers of the Australian east coast, north and south, gathered in Port Stephens for the decade’s annual count. 14 divers with the assistance of support crew completed 38 surveys/transects inshore and offshore in mixed conditions that were ameliorated by the relatively warm waters of 20 – 21 degrees.
Despite less than ideal weather conditions, 11 RLS divers recently descended on Jervis Bay, recording 153 species on 36 transects across 11 sites.
"Tasmanian team bonding" probably best sums up the rocky cape survey weekend, which dished up some testing weather conditions when a team of dedicated RLS divers descended on the Cape this March.
The tally: 108 transects at 52 sites, 226 species on M1, 128 on M2, a gold medal and a few minor bruises and scratches.
