The extent AND severity of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 2024 is by far the worst ever recorded.

It would make you weep (again).

Bleaching.
My The Sydney Morning Herald The Age cartoon.

All I want for Xmas is....

Just in time for Christmas! Check out my new White's Seahorse Illustration: stickfigurefish.com.au/collections/wh…

This year we've been getting quite a few Eastern rock lobsters (Jasus verreauxi) on our BRUVs, much more than I have seen in previous years.

Obviously they are attracted to the bait, this one really didn't want to let go! 😄

The NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee has determined that the Lord Howe abalone (Haliotis rubignosa) is eligible for listing as Critically Endangered under the Fisheries Management Act 1994. To view the determination and make a submission see:

dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/threat…

The NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee has determined that the McCulloch’s anemonefish (Amphiprion mccullochi) is eligible for listing as Critically Endangered under the Fisheries Management Act 1994.

To view the determination and make a submission see: dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/threat…

A new paper out from Dr Tom Davis and myself that demonstrates the benefits of a small urbanised no-take MPA on local fish diversity following 40 years of protection:

mdpi.com/2673-964X/3/4/…

Looks like an awesome job opportunity!

A glimmer of hope for an Endangered temperate soft coral: the first observations of reproductive strategies and early life cycle of Dendronephthya australis (Octocorallia: Malacalcyonacea) | Marine Biology buff.ly/3PsrJbp

New paper out, with our exciting discovery of how the Endangered soft coral Dendronephthya australis reproduces and #threatenedspecies #coralrestorarion Dr Tracy Ainsworth A/Prof. @UNSW Science Dave Harasti and thanks so much to Katharina Fabricius for being on call during these discoveries link.springer.com/article/10.100…

We had an unexpected visitor to one of our BRUVs last week whilst sampling off Port Stephens....
#marinelife #oceans 🦭 😎

My contribution to National Science Week is this interview that went live today for the ABC Conversations show. NationalScienceWeek #ScienceWeek
If you want to learn about the world of seahorses, then this is the show for you!

abc.net.au/radio/programs…

This was definitely one of the more 'interesting' scenes I've captured underwater! 😉

Came across this QLD Groper diving yesterday. Previously I had only ever seen 1 in the region in the past 15 years; this year I have seen 6 at various sites 😎 There seems to be more frequent sightings in southern Australia waters, perhaps another species expanding its range? 🤔

Yesterday, NSW DPI and SEALIFE released 350 captive-bred White's seahorses onto 30 Seahorse Hotels in the waters of Port Stephens; this is the largest conservation effort undertaken to recover this Endangered seahorse species.
abc.net.au/news/2023-05-1…?

New article about our efforts to save the Endangered White's seahorse in Port Stephens; the seahorse has declined by over 90% over the past decade. 😥

100+ seahorses were released into a 'seahorse hotel' — here's how it plans to help repopulate the endangered species ❤️