Urgent action needed for Shark Bay’s ecology
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Beach walkers invited to help penguin research
A Western Australian Marine Science Institution project led by a scientist from The University of Western Australia is inviting people to help penguin research while getting fit. Dr Belinda Cannell, from UWA’s Oceans Institute, said the project at Cockburn Sound was seeking volunteers who regularly walk at the beach to record any Little Penguins they […]
Science influences art in a marine-inspired exhibition
An art exhibition that fuses scientific knowledge with creative inspiration is set to open later this month in Albany. Immerse will feature artworks by 20 MIX Artists from the Great Southern that showcase a unique art-science collaboration between contemporary artists and marine scientists working in the region. The waters of the south coast and around […]
A new blueprint for Western Australian marine research
A new report to guide Western Australia’s coastal research priorities and initiatives signals a renewed focus for statewide marine science. The Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) today launched the Blueprint Refresh 2022-2027, identifying opportunities for marine science to improve the sustainable use and management of WA’s coastal and estuarine marine environments. Developed with advice […]
Cockburn Sound – home to a surprising diversity of marine species
Scientists have found an unexpectedly diverse assemblage of marine life living on the seafloor in Cockburn Sound. The species were identified following surveys of benthic communities in soft sediment and naturally occurring hard substrate as part of a research project that seeks to better understand benthic biodiversity and mitigate environmental impacts in the area. The […]
Common construction materials trialled for future artificial reef
Researchers from Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University are investigating materials for a future artificial reef in Cockburn Sound that will act as a settling area for local, non-invasive invertebrates. The experiment, carried out under the WAMSI Westport Marine Science Program, is trialling four common construction materials (PVC, low-carbon concrete, natural limestone and mild steel) […]
CT scans to shed light on little penguin sensitivity to noise
Researchers at Curtin University are determining the hearing sensitivity of a local penguin species to marine noise pollution. The results could help determine to which anthropogenic noise frequencies little penguins (‘Fairy Penguin’) are most sensitive in the marine environment, with the aim of improving mitigation of noise pollution on local populations within Western Australia. Sound […]
Weather station installed at Cockburn Sound
Researchers from The University of Western Australia have installed a meteorological station at Cockburn Sound in the Cockburn Cement loading jetty to detect a range of atmospheric conditions that influence Cockburn Sound. The weather station will be deployed for 12 months and measure wind speed and direction, air temperature, humidity, air pressure, solar radiation, precipitation […]
Survey to assess value of recreational activities in Cockburn Sound
A new project aims to identify the non-fishing activities in Cockburn Sound to assess the recreational use of the bay and the values it provides. The University of Western Australia and Murdoch University are working with the Western Australian Marine Science Institution and the Westport Program on the two-year project to better understand how the […]
How hair dye is helping conservation of WA’s sea lion population
An innovative new project is using human hair dye on Australian sea lions at Carnac and Seal Islands off the coast of Perth to track and learn about the local population. Edith Cowan University (ECU) are jointly leading the project with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) marine researchers, in collaboration with Department of […]