AUGUST 2025
The harmful algal bloom along South Australia’s coast has now attracted widespread national and international attention. This momentum has been driven in no small part by the extraordinary efforts of citizen scientists, fishers, divers, and community members who have documented impacts and shared them widely. Your photos, observations, and stories have helped build a groundswell that decision-makers cannot ignore.
Murray Watt has met with marine science leaders to discuss climate-driven impacts on the GSR. Photo: AAP
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has met with key marine science leaders, including IMAS scientist and GSRF cofounder Dr Scott Bennett, in a positive step toward addressing the challenges facing the Great Southern Reef. The discussion acknowledged the unprecedented severity of the HAB and growing scale and frequency of similar climate-driven impacts throughout the GSR.
The meeting preceded Minister Watt’s announcement yesterday that he had asked the Threatened Species Scientific Committee to fast-track assessments of marine life impacted by the HAB to determine if any species should be added to the national threatened list. This comes on top of last month’s $28M State–Federal package to support science, resilience planning, industry assistance, and clean-up efforts in South Australia.
Cuttlefish Season Ends as Bloom Threat Looms
With the Giant Australian Cuttlefish aggregation season drawing to a close and almost all of this year’s eggs now laid, attention is on the waters around Point Lowly as the harmful algal bloom creeps up the Spencer Gulf. There is some hope that cooler waters and higher salinity may offer some buffer against the bloom... but only time will tell.
Giant cuttlefish and eggs at the Cuttlefish Coast Marine Sanctuary.
The South Australian Government has been meeting with leading experts to discuss safeguards and contingency plans for this extraordinary breeding event, the only one of its kind in the world.
Take a listen to Dr Zoe Doubleday, Marine ecologist at UniSA on ABC Nightlife with Susan Hill or read the new Conversation article, to learn more about the breeding of giant cuttlefish could be threatened by algal bloom. Scott Bennett also features in a new InDaily podcast episode exploring the link between the algal bloom and the cuttlefish, along with what it means for other marine life across the state.
Free-diver and Giant Cuttlefish by Stefan Andrews.
For educators - now is a great time to engage students with our new lesson: The Rise, Fall and Recovery of the Giant Australian Cuttlefish. This three-part case study puts students in the role of a marine scientist to explore the remarkable story of the annual cuttlefish aggregation. Students will investigate what makes cephalopods so fascinating, why Point Lowly is such a critical breeding ground, and how cuttlefish populations can change dramatically over time.
Tracking the Bloom’s Impact
The death toll reported to the community-based SA Marine Mortalities project on iNaturalist has reached almost 27,000 records. Thank you to all 847 people who have uploaded important evidence of the harmful algal bloom over space and time. We urge everyone to keep adding records to the Marine Mortalities iNaturalist project. Every entry strengthens the evidence base and helps scientists, managers, and communities respond.
Keen to learn more about what this all means? Marine ecologist Janine Baker has written a comprehensive article discussing the data collected so far, the spatial extent of the bloom across SA, summarising affected species, and explaining potential ecological flow-on effects. Janine highlights the scale of biodiversity loss, the vulnerability of certain species groups, and the need for urgent research into ecological assessment and recovery trajectories.
Voices of the Great Southern Reef
Since mid-May, almost 500 people completed our public survey, providing detailed observations, concerns, and calls for action. Nearly half had been directly impacted by the bloom, and many others expressed deep concern for the future of our marine ecosystems. The overwhelming message was clear — urgent, coordinated action is needed now, alongside long-term monitoring and stronger measures to address the climate drivers of these events.
Later this month, the Great Southern Reef Foundation will be in Parliament House. We’ll be carrying your voices into those conversations, highlighting the urgency, the personal impacts, and the clear public mandate for action. There is still time to have your say. If you haven’t already, you can add your voice to the survey and help strengthen the case for action.
A First Peoples View on the 2025 Algal Crisis
Professor Irene Watson, a Tanganekald, Meintangk and Bunganditj woman, has long advocated for First Nations law and sovereignty in environmental management. In her recent article, she reflects on the harmful algal bloom’s impact across ngamath sea-country and calls for genuine inclusion of sovereign First Peoples in decision-making. Watson argues that current environmental laws are reactive and inadequate, and that lasting protection will only come when First Nations knowledge systems and law guide our response and recovery. Read the article here.
Professor Irene Watson. Image: University of South Australia
Global Review Warns of Mounting Marine Heatwave Impacts
Marine heatwaves are driving shifts in species, destroying habitats like seagrass meadows, coral reefs and kelp forests, causing mass mortality of marine species including megafauna, and triggering cascading ecosystem changes that disrupt food webs, fisheries, carbon storage, and cultural values.
A new global review published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity warns that marine heatwaves are becoming longer, stronger, and more frequent, with far-reaching impacts on biodiversity and the services our oceans provide. The authors note that marine heatwaves have been at the core of environmental, ecological, and socio-economic change in oceans worldwide, and their impacts have increased exponentially since 1980.
Golden Kelp Forest by Louise Nott
"Marine heatwaves, intensified by climate change, are now an inevitable and growing threat to our oceans. The Great Southern Reef is among the fastest warming marine areas on the planet and time is running out to act to protect its unique marine life."
— Thomas Wernberg
For the Great Southern Reef, these findings highlight the urgency of coordinated monitoring to understand heatwave impacts on kelp forests, fisheries, and coastal communities, and to guide timely, effective management responses. The review also underscores the importance of closing current knowledge gaps around marine heatwaves and their effects on biodiversity, knowledge that is essential for designing effective conservation and adaptation strategies.
While cutting greenhouse gas emissions is the only long-term solution, the review calls for flexible fisheries management and rapid conservation actions, such as targeted protection of vulnerable species and swift habitat restoration to help safeguard marine ecosystems from further losses.
Global Research Backs Coordinated GSR Monitoring
New research published in Science warns that ocean-based climate interventions, from seaweed farming to coral breeding, are moving faster than our ability to regulate, monitor, and evaluate them. The authors caution that without coordination, these actions risk being ineffective, inequitable, or even harmful.
One of their key messages is that monitoring must be comprehensive and connected. Without it, unintended consequences can go unnoticed, benefits may be overstated, and public trust can erode.
Divers conducting surveys by Toni Cooper
For the Great Southern Reef, this means large-scale management actions (such as tackling longspined sea urchin barrens) must be underpinned by standardised, cross-jurisdictional monitoring. The same applies to tracking climate-driven changes, like marine heatwaves, where coordinated monitoring is essential to understand impacts and guide effective responses.
The study’s authors call this approach “responsible transformation”, balancing innovation with ethics, equity, and robust evidence. To learn more, read the Conversation article and full research paper.
20 Years On: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park
A new study led by Deakin University and Parks Victoria has provided a rare, long-term look at how fish communities have responded to 20 years of no-take protection in Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park (MNP). Using baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) across 2018 to 2022, the research compared fish inside and outside the MNP to understand how species and habitats are faring.
Two reef-associated species stood out as clear winners inside the park. Bluethroat Wrasse (Notolabrus tetricus) were more abundant and larger, particularly males, reflecting their small home ranges, reliance on reef habitat, and protection from fishing. Six-Spine Leatherjackets (Meuschenia freycineti) also showed consistently higher abundance, benefiting from the structured reef habitats and limited mobility that keep them within the protected area.
Sixspine Leatherjacket by John Turnbull
“After two decades, the Port Phillip Heads MNP is showing clear conservation benefits for reef-associated species."
— Michael Sams
Popular target species like snapper and sand flathead showed no clear benefit from protection. Their mobility, seasonal movements and habitat preferences may limit how much they gain from smaller, fragmented sanctuary zones. Michael Sams, Manager of Marine and Coastal Sciences and Programs at Parks Victoria, noted, “The lack of a protection effect for these key target species was surprising, but it highlights how mobility, habitat preference and park design all influence the outcomes we see.
Building Momentum for Reef Recovery
At the beginning of the month, the Great Southern Reef Research Partnership met in Adelaide for its third annual meeting, on the frontline of the harmful algal bloom. This meeting brought together expert scientists and managers from across Australia to discuss research priorities for the GSR. In particular, the group determined ways to support local responses to the harmful algal bloom and discussed pathways toward establishing an integrated national ecological monitoring program.
Together, the group also made plans for collaborative field campaigns; reflected on manager needs; and advanced core research projects. Despite the challenges faced by the GSR, the meeting concluded with a sense of optimism inspired by clear priorities, tangible actions, and passionate people working hard to safeguard the reef’s future.
Showcasing the GSR at AMSA 2025
Last month the AMSA 2025 conference brought together marine scientists from across Australia and New Zealand, showcasing research and building connections across the community.
The Great Southern Reef Research Partnership (GSRRP) had strong visibility at the conference. Dr Emma Church from the GSR socioecology project presented the GSRRP poster, which drew significant interest, with many attendees asking about program initiatives and collaboration opportunities.
Scott Bennett's closing plenary highlighted the value of the GSR and Research Partnerships work. Image: Ascent Media
We also shared preliminary results from the GSR community survey. These findings reveal important insights about graduate student and recent researcher needs, helping guide future program development.
The conference opened with plenaries on the UN Ocean Decade and the National Sea Change Marine Committee (NSMC) white paper strategy. Many GSRRP members contributed to Australia's national marine science strategy, and their input was reflected in these high-level discussions.
Connecting Seafood Sectors with Climate Expertise
Sea Change Australia is a new initiative that brings together fishers, aquaculture producers, industry, managers, and researchers to share knowledge and develop climate-resilient options for strong, healthy fisheries and aquaculture. The project’s website offers climate information tailored to the seafood sector, showcases adaptation stories, and provides a space for sharing observations from the water.
Through the Ask an Expert platform, you can submit questions about climate change and seafood, from species impacts to adaptation strategies, and have them answered by researchers, industry specialists, or Indigenous knowledge holders. You can also browse the growing Q&A database or register as an expert yourself, connecting with others and helping build climate resilience across the sector.
White Rock Community Screenings
Since wrapping up the White Rock “Em-urchin-cy” Tour in early May, we’ve kicked off the next phase of our campaign - White Rock Community Screenings. This stage puts the spotlight on local champions who organise and host their own White Rock screenings, with our team providing resources and support every step of the way.
From New South Wales to Western Australia, screenings are popping up across the Great Southern Reef, hosted by organisations, festivals, town halls, community groups, dive centres, and schools. Whether you’re an individual, school, or community group, you can join the movement. Visit our Host A Screening page to learn more and send in your request!
White Rock School Fundraiser Screenings
Recent screenings of our White Rock documentary at Manly Village Public School and Pymble Ladies’ College brought in a combined $1,977 for the impact campaign. Teachers called the film engaging, informative, and thought-provoking. We’re grateful for the generosity and enthusiasm of both school communities in supporting kelp forest conservation.
Funds raised for the White Rock impact campaign help us share the film more widely, deliver educational kits to schools, run community screenings, and drive policy action.
White Rock School Resources
A growing number of teachers across Australia are taking part in the White Rock schools trial, screening the film in their classrooms and testing our draft lesson plans, activities, and discussion prompts. They’re providing feedback, adapting materials, and even creating their own resources inspired by the film. This input is helping us refine the final schools kit for release nationwide.
Sample of White Rock comic by Louise Swanson, who is running White Rock school screenings as part of National Science Week [learn more]
If you’re an educator and would like early access to the full film and schools kit, you can express your interest here.
more gsr news
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APRIL 2025
White Rock hits the road! With a sold-out Hobart launch, our Em-urchin-cy Tour is officially underway. Dive into updates on school resources, lobster recovery, sea lion science, climate-fuelled fish kills, and citizen-powered species tracking. Plus, new research reveals not all reef species are heading south. Let’s get into it.
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FEBRUARY 2025
Welcome to the February 2025 Newsletter. Packed with exciting updates, inspiring stories, and opportunities to get involved, this edition has something for everyone passionate about the Great Southern Reef.
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January 2025 news
Packed with exciting updates, inspiring stories, and opportunities to get involved, this edition has something for everyone passionate about the Great Southern Reef.
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december 2024
This issue includes an exclusive look at our collaboration with artist Amok Island, spotlighting a spectacular limited edition print featuring iconic GSR species.
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november 2024
In this issue, we celebrate the long-awaited launch of WA’s South Coast Marine Park, share important updates on the South-east Marine Park Draft Management Plan, and dive into research exploring cancer-fighting compounds in temperate sponges.
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October 2024
In this issue, we celebrate the launch of our new Teacher’s Guide for Ocean Literacy, share major milestones from Project Restore, and highlight recent developments in kelp restoration across Australia.
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september 2024
This month, we're offering a sneak peek into one of the Great Southern Reef’s most unique environments - Bathurst Channel. Plus and an exciting opportunity for teachers to trial some new school resources.
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august 2024
Exciting updates from from the final days of filming our urchin documentary White Rock, to the latest research, sealion mounted camera footage and insights from our GSR Research Partnership meeting in Hobart.
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july 2024
This month we are thrilled to share with you Sea Country stories, spider crab science, monitoring updates plus a sneak peek of our new documentary White Rock.
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june 2024
In this month's issue and to celebrate the arrival of the Southern Right whales, we're thrilled to announce the release of our new film, Eye to Eye.
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may 2024
In this issue, we explore some urgent challenges facing the GSR as well as highlight promising developments and opportunities to get actively involved in caring for our precious kelp forests.
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The longspined sea urchin is native to New South Wales and eastern Victoria. But in 1978 the first animal was detected in Tasmania where it has since increased dramatically in numbers. The urchin arrived in Tasmania due to changes in ocean climate and ocean current conditions, specifically an increase in strength of the East Australian Current.
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White Rock is a 45-minute documentary uncovering an overlooked impact of the climate crisis: the explosion of longspined sea urchins which are devastating Australia's kelp forests. With stunning visuals and impactful storytelling, the film captures the urgent threat to these ecosystems and presents tangible solutions to save them.
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Looking to deepen your knowledge on the rich biodiversity found in Australia's temperate reefs? This space is designed for you.
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Australian researchers are working at the global forefront of marine habitat restoration, with projects underway in every state along the Great Southern Reef. Habitat restoration is a resource intensive exercise used as a last resort for areas where vital habitats have been lost or are in decline and natural recovery is not occurring. Currently there are active restoration projects on the GSR working to restore seaweeds, seagrasses, and oyster reefs.
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Every month, we feature a creator from around the Great Southern Reef (GSR), showcasing their unique connection, creative expression, and passion for this extraordinary marine ecosystem. Through photography, art, storytelling, and film, these creators highlight the reef’s beauty, biodiversity, and the critical challenges it faces.
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What is the Great Southern Reef? What is unique about it? and how is climate change affecting it? Find out answers to these questions and more in our FAQ page.
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Associate Professor Ling has been instrumental in discovering the complex factors contributing to the urchin problem, casting new light on how climate change, predatory interactions, and ecological balance play into the crisis.
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The Great Southern Reef Research Partnership is a collaboration between universities, management agencies, and NGOs from across Australia, is taking a whole-of-system approach to safeguard the critical functions, fisheries, and biodiversity of the Great Southern Reef.
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The Great Southern Reef Foundation has partnered with Fremantle-based multidisciplinary artist Amok Island to create a stunning limited edition print, Iconic Species of the Great Southern Reef. This artwork showcases 18 unique species found along this extraordinary marine ecosystem.
