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Sawfish tracked as part of project to better understand the vulnerable ‘rhinos’ of Australian wildlife

The fantastically efficient inbuilt weapon sawfish use to attack prey is also their undoing, according to researcher Associate Professor David Morgan who has studied the fish for several decades. “The saw-like rostrum on their heads is a morphological marvel,” Dr Morgan said. “The rostrum is used to hunt, to strike food and for their own […]

Coral reefs vital for ocean life

A quarter of all marine species depends on coral reefs but these vital parts of the oceans’ ecosystem are at risk from acidification, pollution, over-fishing and rising water temperatures. The University of Western Australia’s PhD candidate Josh Bonesso spoke to high school students recently about the significance of coral reefs, as part of the Western […]

Fly larvae offers hope for future food security

Insects could be part of the solution to future global food security pressures, according to an aquaculture researcher looking at black soldier flies as a potential fish feed source. PhD candidate Isobel Sewell, from The University of Western Australia, told students in a Thinking Blue lecture there was growing pressure on wild stocks from overfishing. […]

Water quality improving but Cockburn Sound still impacted by pollution legacy

Water quality in Cockburn Sound has been steadily improving for decades but seagrass and some fish stocks are still struggling to recover from the days of unrestricted pollution discharge, according to marine scientist Dr Fiona Webster. Dr Webster, who works at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation assessing marine proposals, was speaking to students […]