Australia

Mike Ball Announces Photo Competition Winner for 2019/20

Photo Credit: Tanya Piejus

It was a close competition and as always a difficult one to judge but Tanya’s image captured the essence typifying the experience encountered on our minke expeditions. 

https://www.mikeball.com/photo-gallery/photo-year-competition-2019-2020/

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions run expeditions to the Coral Sea and the far northern Great Barrier Reef between Cairns and the Cape York peninsula.

Currently running 5 Night Minke Whale Expeditions.

Researchers find deep-sea coral gardens off Western Australia

Widely known as a biodiversity hotspot for marine animals, Australia’s Bremer Canyon Marine Park has been found to also host rich, diverse ecosystems within the canyon’s cold waters.

This discovery was made during a scientific expedition after researchers used a deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to collect samples of deep-sea corals, associated fauna, seawater and geological samples from the abyssal depths to the continental shelf.

Acropora hyacinthus, thought to be a single species, is potentially five different species—some with a very limited geographical range.

New coral species discovered along the Great Barrier Reef

Scientists from Queensland Museum (QM), University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia completed a 21-day trip from the Capricorn Bunkers off Gladstone to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait late last year. Scientists discovered dozens of new coral species on a recent voyage along the length of the Great Barrier Reef.

“On almost every dive we were finding species that aren’t in the books"

Professor Andrew Baird, James Cook University

It appears that the presence of boats has an impact on the social behaviour of humpback whales.

Humpback whales less sociable in presence of boats

After studying humpback whales off Queensland's Peregian Beach, researchers discovered that the whales’ ability to communicate and socialise is adversely affected by the noise and presence of boats.

In some cases, the mammals’ communication range is reduced by a factor of four.

"It appears that groups of humpback whales tend to socialise much less in the presence of vessels—in this study, mostly small fishing boats—compared to when there aren't any present," said Rebecca Dunlop from The University of Queensland's Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory.

Coral larvae being released into the water column, off Maui in 2003

Split spawning can give coral reefs a second chance

When investigating whether corals that split their spawning over multiple months are more successful at spreading their offspring across different reefs, researchers discovered that split spawning can indeed improve the coral reef's resilience.

The findings of the study was published in the Nature Communications journal recently.

Snorkelling with whale sharks is one of the most popular activities for tourist divers.
Snorkelling with whale sharks is one of the most popular activities for tourist divers.

Study shows value of shark tourism in Australia

A study has revealed that shark dive tourism in Australia contributes at least AUD$25.5 million annually to the country’s economy. These findings highlight the importance of proper management of shark species to support a sustainable dive tourism industry.

Focusing on four main shark viewing industries in Australia, the study was a collaboration between Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Flinders University, University of Western Australia, and Southern Cross University. It surveyed 711 tourist divers from May 2013 to June 2014.

AIMS' Dr Cherie Motti, beside a tank housing a Pacific triton sea snail.
AIMS' Dr Cherie Motti, beside a tank housing a Pacific triton sea snail.

Great Barrier Reef's saviour—a giant snail?

A giant sea snail may turn out to be another line of defense against the destructive crown-of-thorn starfish that is currently plaguing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Called the Pacific triton sea snail (Charonia tritonis), it can grow up to about 50 to 60cm and is indigenous to Australian waters. More importantly, the crown-of-thorn starfish happens to be part of its natural diet. However, the sea snail is currently endangered due to the consumer demand for their shells.

Recovery of beer bottle from the Sydney Cove shipwreck site. Intact cork and wax seal.

Beer brewed with yeast believed to be from a 220-year-old shipwreck

The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston, Tasmania has achieved scientific results of interest to beer brewers and drinkers worldwide.

The museum has identified what is believed to be the world's oldest beer, surviving as contents of a bottle salvaged from the protected Historic Shipwreck Sydney Cove (1797) at Preservation Island, Tasmania.

Giant Australian Cuttlefish

The giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) is the largest cuttlefish in the world, reaching up to half a metre in total length and weighing in at around 11kg. Solitary animals, they are found all along the coastline of the southern half of Australia—from Central Queensland on the eastern coast, right around the bottom of the continent and up to Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.