Media release
22 April 2014
250,000 crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS)
have now been culled on the Great Barrier
Reef due to a new control measure and additional
vessel to combat the pest.
“Funding for a second
control vessel, Venus 2, and the development
of a single injection method developed by
James Cook University has immediately improved
the efficiency and effectiveness of reducing
COTS numbers on the Great Barrier Reef,”
Minister Hunt said.
“The Crown-of-Thorns
Eradication Plan is a key element of the
Government’s Reef 2050 Plan.”
“In recent decades COTS
have been responsible for 42 per cent of
coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef.”
“Pollution and run-off
entering the reef has lead to an explosion
in numbers causing considerable damage to
the Reef.”
“The new method involves
a small single injection that produces an
allergic reaction in the starfish, causing
it to break apart and die within 24 hours.
The previous method involved injecting some
COTS more than 20 times. The single injection
method is harmless to other marine plants
and animals.”
Mr Entsch welcomed the
success of the new method.
“The new culling method
has led to a four-fold increase in eradicating
COTS,” Mr Entsch said.
“Divers deployed by
the local Association of Marine Park Tourism
Operators here in Cairns are finding they
can cull over 1000 crown-of-thorns starfish
on a 40-minute dive.”
“This includes 27 000
in just eight days at Arlington Reef and
9000 at Batt Reef, as well as 14 000 at
Spitfire Reef near Cooktown.”
Other measures under
the Reef 2050 Plan over the longer term
will see improvements to water quality entering
the Reef, further limiting the COTS thriving
in its larval stage on water-borne algae
which results from nutrient-rich waters.
The protection and management
of the Great Barrier Reef is a priority
for the Government and Australians can be
proud of our achievements to date in protecting
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