Peter Michael, The Courier-Mail 6 Feb 10;
SCIENTISTS have captured amazing underwater shots - including a tiger shark stalking a sea snake - in a multimillion-dollar push to monitor the Great Barrier Reef in real time.
Hammerhead sharks, shark rays, shovelnose rays, and schools of coral trout and red emperor have been captured by the latest in electronic gadgets.
Researchers deployed underwater video cameras, acoustic radio tags, satellite tracking and smart sensors across the reef as part of a 10-year project.
Australian Institute of Marine Science fish biologist Mike Cappo dropped 16 baited cameras to depths of up to 50m to capture images of a female tiger shark stalking a sea snake. The 3m shark ate a bait can, then bit the camera, as the lucky snake slipped out of its jaws.
That image became a global phenomenon, with tens of thousands of hits on the net when it was first released.
New footage – obtained exclusively by The Courier-Mail – comes as scientists work to bring real-time video streaming of life on the Great Barrier Reef into people's homes.
It might one day be possible to link a home computer to a camera on a particular reef and see the marine world just like a scuba diver would.
Another researcher – Scott Bainbridge from the Great Barrier Reef Ocean Observing System – headed up a $16 million project to put a digital "skin" over the reef.
He has "wired" four sites so far: Heron Island, One Tree Island, Orpheus Island and Davies Reef.
About 160 smart sensors – developed originally for use in nuclear power stations and tsunami warning systems – have been placed on the reef as part of the project.
"We've got underwater cameras with lights looking at irukandji and box jellyfish," Dr Bainbridge said. "We can see it in real time, send alerts and start to forecast where jellyfish are and reduce likely stings.
"(And) it allows us to monitor . . . particular conditions that cause coral bleaching."
