Redmap launches into Queensland waters!
Curtis Champion, 22 Aug 2018.
Redmap’s Queensland chapter has been operational since our national launch in 2012, but today we announced our intent to enhance our engagement with Queensland’s marine users to better understand the changes that are occurring in one of the world’s most iconic marine environments. Read on to learn more about what was announced at the formal launch held at James Cook University in Townsville today, and to also see our revised and extended list of species to log with us if spotted in Queensland.
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Redmap Queensland Leader Associate Professor Jan Strugnell (left) and Redmap National Director Professor Gretta Pecl (right) at the formal Redmap Queensland launch held at James Cook University, Townsville.
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Observations of 'out of range' species logged with Redmap since 2012. We're excited to enhance our engagement with Queensland's marine-users to fill in the gap in observations from that region.
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One example of a species included in our revised and expanded species list for Queensland. Please log the Eastern clown fish if spotted south of Stradbroke Island.
Queensland’s marine environment is arguably Australia’s most iconic. From the vibrant ecological communities found at the far reaches of the Great Barrier Reef, to the sandy embayments and nearshore seagrass meadows, it’s no wonder why Queenslanders love participating in marine-based activities like diving, fishing and surfing. However, there’s strong evidence suggesting that Queensland’s marine environment is under threat, with the frequency and severity of coral bleaching events increasing and mobile species shifting further south to cope with rising ocean temperatures.
The Range Extension Database and Mapping Project (Redmap) is dedicated to increasing our understanding of species that are on the move around Australia. Redmap is founded on the key belief that observations made by Australia’s community of fishers, divers and beachcombers are an incredibly valuable source of information for understanding these changes. This is exactly why we’re so excited about promoting Redmap in the ocean-loving State of Queensland.
What’s new?
We are very lucky to welcome Associate Professor Jan Strugnell to our team as the leader of Queensland’s Redmap chapter. Jan is based at James Cook University in Townsville and has worked extensively with Queensland marine experts and scientists to develop a revised and extended list of key species that are potentially extending further south due to marine warming. We strongly encourage sightings of species that are included on the list to be logged with us so that we can keep track of what’s changing in Queensland waters!
Our revised and extended list of Queensland’s key species to log can be found here.
Queensland’s marine environment is undoubtedly important and iconic, and we’re pleased that more Aussies can be involved in helping better understand what’s happening in this region. Understanding widespread changes to marine ecosystems requires ‘all hands on deck’ and we hope that everyone can do their bit to help - either by reporting your own sightings or by helping to share Redmap’s message through the conversations you have and throughout social media. In this way, we can all help to share information about the changes occurring in the ocean and let fishers, divers and beachcombers know what they can do to help while at the same time enjoying their recreational activities.
