Australia: Queensland's seagrass beds under threat into 2012

Tony Bartlett ninemsn 1 Nov 11;

The seagrass beds which sustain Queensland's turtles and dugongs could remain under threat into next year, a forum on the Gold Coast has heard.

With turtle strandings along the Queensland coast nearly double last year's figure, specialists from around Australia gathered at Sea World on Tuesday to discuss the impact of January's floods and cyclones on turtles and dugongs.

A protected species expert at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Mark Read, said the rich underwater pastures which the turtles need to survive will remain under threat for some time.

"At this stage weather forecasters are predicting a moderate La Nina event this season which will produce milder weather patterns than last year's events," Dr Read said.

"Despite this we are still anticipating the species' main food source, seagrass meadows, will be adversely affected by these weather patterns, so it is important we minimise all other impacts.

"These include coastal development, habitat degradation, boat strikes, marine debris, sedimentation and pollution, oil spills and other threats to water quality."

Dr Read said an extra 60 people had been trained in how to perform necropsy examinations on stranded animals so vital information can be collated about their cause of death.

Sea World's director of marine sciences, Trevor Long, said because turtles have such a slow metabolism there wasn't an immediate impact after January's extreme weather.

"What happens is a crash over many months, and that's what we're into right at the moment," Mr Long said.

Mr Long said he'd like to see the creation of a rehabilitation centre in Queensland because there's no facility at the moment capable of dealing with the strandings.

"Rehabilitation centres are not difficult to manage or establish, and that's something I'd like to see come out of today's forum," he said.

Queensland Environment Minister Vicky Darling said so far this year there had been more than 1200 turtle strandings.

"Townsville, Gladstone and Moreton Bay have all had over 200 each, which isn't unexpected but is almost double last year's numbers," Ms Darling said.

"The message to people on our waterways is to slow down a little bit and look out below."