Reef Watch
Victoria is home to an amazing diversity of marine life. Whether ethereal, beautiful or bizarre, our native marine life is special and needs our ongoing care. As a community-led volunteer program Reef Watch co-ordinates a number of marine conservation programs, including 'Feral or in Peril', the Great Victorian Fish Count and the new Buddy-up with a Devil project. Our Reef Watch program has something for everyone, so to find out what you can do in the water, read on. Our Reef Watch Program won the 2012 award for Excellence In Education by Victoria's Coastal Council. |
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Great Victorian Fish Count 2012: Nov 24-Dec 9
If you can dive or snorkel you can count fish. Join hundreds of divers and snorkelers to help survey 25 important reef species.
In last year's Fish Count our participants were instrumental in verifying the presence of the Western Blue Groper in Port Phillip Bay.
Reef Watch's Wendy Roberts is all smiles after receiving the award for excellence in education. |
Explore a world beneath the waves
Victoria's marine environment is incredibly diverse. In fact, more than 85% of species living in our ocean waters are found nowhere else on earth.
But this hidden and mysterious world is facing mounting pressures from threats such as overfishing, pollution, climate change and invasive species.
That's why our Reef Watch program is so important!
Run by the VNPA in partnership with Museum Victoria, Reef Watch brings together volunteer divers from across the state to help survey and monitor important reef sites.
Our amazing volunteers record information on about 180 marine species and we feed that information back to marine scientists.
We're helping scientists and conservation planners make more informed decisions about protecting Victoria's marine world by giving providing reliable, up-to-date marine data.
For example, our volunteer divers help identify vulnerable marine species such as the Blue Groper and monitor damaging invasive species like the Northern Pacific Sea Star.
Reef Watch Victoria is supported by the Australian Government's Caring for our County.
Is Your Buddy Blue?
Join our Blue Devil Fish project. Help scientists find out more about this charismatic fish so that it can be better protected.
And learn how you can get yourself your very own Blue Buddy!
Swimming on land
Dive underwater without getting your toes wet by coming along to our popular Sea Science Seminars.
We bring in marine science experts for entertaining, informative and engaging evenings that aim to reveal what life is doing beyond our shores.
To ensure you're on our guest list register here and we'll keep you up-to-date on Reef Watch events.
Feral or in Peril?
Feral or in Peril helps divers, fisherfolk, and the wider community identify which of Victoria's marine species belong in our waters but are in peril, and which are invasive species - we call them ferals!
Meet the Team
To get involved with Reef Watch contact:
- Reef Watch Coordinator, Wendy Roberts on 03 8341 7446 or info@reefwatchvic.asn.au
- Simon Branigan, VNPA Marine & Coastal Officer on 03 9341 6508 orSimonB@vnpa.org.au
- Ann Strunks, VNPA Communications & Marketing Manager on 03 9341 6519 or anns@vnpa.org.au
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