The Sydney Aquarium Conservation Fund, Sydney Institute of Marine Science and environmental company Aquenal Pty Ltd have joined with Reef Life Survey and other community groups to discover and catalogue exactly which marine species live in Sydney Harbour and nearby estuaries. The challenge is a big one. Dr Jim Lowry from the Australian Museum estimates that, apart from fishes, half of the marine animals in Sydney Harbour are yet to be discovered by science.

The team at Reef Life Survey need experienced SCUBA divers willing to commit their time to helping our marine community in Sydney Harbour. People from Reef Life Survey include scientists, marine managers, as well as recreational SCUBA divers, all devoted to marine conservation. Reef Life Survey is a global initiative where data collected from underwater surveys assists managers to conserve the world’s marine biodiversity.

With so many impacts and stressors facing Sydney Harbour, it is essential to build a detailed database with enough information on various habitats and species. Underwater ecological changes occur out of sight, consequently such information is crucial if we are to conserve plants and animals from human impacts in our own backyard.

If you’re an experienced SCUBA diver you can be a part of the Reef Life Survey Team. You will be trained to conduct official surveys, where your data will be added to the growing database, which already provides an invaluable resource for management and education. This database is freely available to the public in order to encourage a broader knowledge of what habitats and species are present in our Harbour, and so that changes can be tracked through time.

To find out when the next survey is check out the Reef Life Survey website at: http://www.reeflifesurvey.com/

SACF annual membership for individuals is $10. This is less than the cost of 3 coffees or a couple of beers, but will assist us in continuing to fund essential conservation research to help protect and conserve our aquatic environment.

To become a member click on donate.

 

If you're still not convinced, here are 10 reason at a $1 each as to why you should become a member:

1. Many marine species that we know about are in trouble, both locally and globally. SACF aims to fund more research of our local marine environment to find out how best to protect and conserve it

2. We know only a fraction of what's in our oceans, so more species may be in decline, and we don't even know about them

3. You eat seafood and worry about declining fish stocks

4. You eat seafood and would like your kids to enjoy seafood too

5. You don't eat seafood, but your kids may want to in the future

6. You love the ocean and would like to give something back

7. You SCUBA dive

8. You fish

9. You loved 'Saving Nemo' and the real animals the characters were based upon

10. You love Sydney Aquarium

Your $10 may not mean much to you but it means so much to our local marine environment.