Latest news with #AustralianMarineConservationSociety
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
World Environment Day asks us to help turn the tide on plastic in the ocean
Every minute, more than 250 kilograms of plastic enter the Australian environment, that's about 145,000 tonnes each year. The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the voice for Australia's oceans. Their plastics campaign manager, Cip Hamilton, said plastic pollution is causing unnecessary devastation to our marine life. "Every marine species has encountered plastic pollution, and none of the impacts are positive. It's entangling turtles, suffocating corals and starving seagulls," she said. "We recently saw a 90-day-old seabird chick over on Lord Howe Island with over 400 pieces of plastic in its stomach - the researchers could feel the crunch of plastic beneath their fingers as they handled the birds. This is not normal. This is not okay. We urgently need more action." The AMCS is calling for more to be done to stop plastic pollution at the source. "Corporations must be financially accountable for the packaging they place on our shelves and, importantly, we need government regulation to decrease the tidal wave of plastics that is inundating our beaches and oceans," Cip said. "We have a petition running calling for the Australian government to finalise a strong global plastics treaty, and we're also running a survey asking customers to compare the price of loose and packaged produce at the supermarkets. Last year, we found that 70 per cent of the time, it was more expensive to buy loose items than pre-packaged, so we're calling on customers to help us uncover these practices, and we'll use these results in our 2025 audit." If you want to add your voice to help reduce plastic pollution, you can sign the Strong Global Plastics Treaty petition available on You can also take part in the 2025 shopper survey by signing up on the Plastic Investigation Unit page. Plastic Free July is a global movement that empowers millions to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. If you want to take the challenge, you can find ideas at World Environment Day is the United Nations' biggest global platform for environmental awareness and action, celebrated every year on June 5. This year, the focus is on ending plastic pollution, with communities around the world encouraged to implement and advocate for lasting solutions to #BeatPlasticPollution. The global celebrations will be hosted by the Republic of Korea. Over the past 28 years, the country has made remarkable progress in improving water and air quality, managing chemicals safely, and protecting and restoring ecosystems. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it's also one we can solve. You can find more information by visiting Every minute, more than 250 kilograms of plastic enter the Australian environment, that's about 145,000 tonnes each year. The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the voice for Australia's oceans. Their plastics campaign manager, Cip Hamilton, said plastic pollution is causing unnecessary devastation to our marine life. "Every marine species has encountered plastic pollution, and none of the impacts are positive. It's entangling turtles, suffocating corals and starving seagulls," she said. "We recently saw a 90-day-old seabird chick over on Lord Howe Island with over 400 pieces of plastic in its stomach - the researchers could feel the crunch of plastic beneath their fingers as they handled the birds. This is not normal. This is not okay. We urgently need more action." The AMCS is calling for more to be done to stop plastic pollution at the source. "Corporations must be financially accountable for the packaging they place on our shelves and, importantly, we need government regulation to decrease the tidal wave of plastics that is inundating our beaches and oceans," Cip said. "We have a petition running calling for the Australian government to finalise a strong global plastics treaty, and we're also running a survey asking customers to compare the price of loose and packaged produce at the supermarkets. Last year, we found that 70 per cent of the time, it was more expensive to buy loose items than pre-packaged, so we're calling on customers to help us uncover these practices, and we'll use these results in our 2025 audit." If you want to add your voice to help reduce plastic pollution, you can sign the Strong Global Plastics Treaty petition available on You can also take part in the 2025 shopper survey by signing up on the Plastic Investigation Unit page. Plastic Free July is a global movement that empowers millions to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. If you want to take the challenge, you can find ideas at World Environment Day is the United Nations' biggest global platform for environmental awareness and action, celebrated every year on June 5. This year, the focus is on ending plastic pollution, with communities around the world encouraged to implement and advocate for lasting solutions to #BeatPlasticPollution. The global celebrations will be hosted by the Republic of Korea. Over the past 28 years, the country has made remarkable progress in improving water and air quality, managing chemicals safely, and protecting and restoring ecosystems. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it's also one we can solve. You can find more information by visiting Every minute, more than 250 kilograms of plastic enter the Australian environment, that's about 145,000 tonnes each year. The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the voice for Australia's oceans. Their plastics campaign manager, Cip Hamilton, said plastic pollution is causing unnecessary devastation to our marine life. "Every marine species has encountered plastic pollution, and none of the impacts are positive. It's entangling turtles, suffocating corals and starving seagulls," she said. "We recently saw a 90-day-old seabird chick over on Lord Howe Island with over 400 pieces of plastic in its stomach - the researchers could feel the crunch of plastic beneath their fingers as they handled the birds. This is not normal. This is not okay. We urgently need more action." The AMCS is calling for more to be done to stop plastic pollution at the source. "Corporations must be financially accountable for the packaging they place on our shelves and, importantly, we need government regulation to decrease the tidal wave of plastics that is inundating our beaches and oceans," Cip said. "We have a petition running calling for the Australian government to finalise a strong global plastics treaty, and we're also running a survey asking customers to compare the price of loose and packaged produce at the supermarkets. Last year, we found that 70 per cent of the time, it was more expensive to buy loose items than pre-packaged, so we're calling on customers to help us uncover these practices, and we'll use these results in our 2025 audit." If you want to add your voice to help reduce plastic pollution, you can sign the Strong Global Plastics Treaty petition available on You can also take part in the 2025 shopper survey by signing up on the Plastic Investigation Unit page. Plastic Free July is a global movement that empowers millions to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. If you want to take the challenge, you can find ideas at World Environment Day is the United Nations' biggest global platform for environmental awareness and action, celebrated every year on June 5. This year, the focus is on ending plastic pollution, with communities around the world encouraged to implement and advocate for lasting solutions to #BeatPlasticPollution. The global celebrations will be hosted by the Republic of Korea. Over the past 28 years, the country has made remarkable progress in improving water and air quality, managing chemicals safely, and protecting and restoring ecosystems. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it's also one we can solve. You can find more information by visiting Every minute, more than 250 kilograms of plastic enter the Australian environment, that's about 145,000 tonnes each year. The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the voice for Australia's oceans. Their plastics campaign manager, Cip Hamilton, said plastic pollution is causing unnecessary devastation to our marine life. "Every marine species has encountered plastic pollution, and none of the impacts are positive. It's entangling turtles, suffocating corals and starving seagulls," she said. "We recently saw a 90-day-old seabird chick over on Lord Howe Island with over 400 pieces of plastic in its stomach - the researchers could feel the crunch of plastic beneath their fingers as they handled the birds. This is not normal. This is not okay. We urgently need more action." The AMCS is calling for more to be done to stop plastic pollution at the source. "Corporations must be financially accountable for the packaging they place on our shelves and, importantly, we need government regulation to decrease the tidal wave of plastics that is inundating our beaches and oceans," Cip said. "We have a petition running calling for the Australian government to finalise a strong global plastics treaty, and we're also running a survey asking customers to compare the price of loose and packaged produce at the supermarkets. Last year, we found that 70 per cent of the time, it was more expensive to buy loose items than pre-packaged, so we're calling on customers to help us uncover these practices, and we'll use these results in our 2025 audit." If you want to add your voice to help reduce plastic pollution, you can sign the Strong Global Plastics Treaty petition available on You can also take part in the 2025 shopper survey by signing up on the Plastic Investigation Unit page. Plastic Free July is a global movement that empowers millions to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. If you want to take the challenge, you can find ideas at World Environment Day is the United Nations' biggest global platform for environmental awareness and action, celebrated every year on June 5. This year, the focus is on ending plastic pollution, with communities around the world encouraged to implement and advocate for lasting solutions to #BeatPlasticPollution. The global celebrations will be hosted by the Republic of Korea. Over the past 28 years, the country has made remarkable progress in improving water and air quality, managing chemicals safely, and protecting and restoring ecosystems. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it's also one we can solve. You can find more information by visiting
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Gut punch': top shark expert quits Queensland advisory panel after LNP expands cull program
One of Australia's leading shark researchers has resigned from his position of almost eight years advising the Queensland shark control program, as members of that scientific working group say they were 'shocked' and sidelined by the state government's decision to expand the lethal control of sharks. Announcing an $88m shark management plan overhaul which would see shark nets and baited drum lines designed to kill target shark species rolled out at more beaches, and existing drum lines used more intensely, the primary industries minister, Tony Perrett, claimed this week that the Liberal National party's strategy was backed by research. 'I have said time and time again; the best science must inform our actions when it comes to Fisheries,' Perrett said on Sunday. But the expansion of the state's shark cull was slammed by conservation groups such as Australian Marine Conservation Society as an 'outdated' and 'unscientific' approach that 'does nothing to improve beach safety'. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Amid the noisy backlash this week, marine science professor Colin Simpfendorfer quietly handed in his resignation from the scientific working group to Perrett. Simpfendorfer had been a member of the advisory body since its inception in 2017 and is regarded as one of the country's foremost shark experts, having served as the co-chair of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission's (IUCN SSC) shark specialist group. He declined to comment. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, however, several members of the working group said they advised against the expansion of lethal control and were not informed of the LNPs plans to do so until days before they were announced. 'Everyone was shocked and everyone was pretty upset that there wasn't consultation,' one working group member said. 'We were told there was something coming and it was postponed and postponed and postponed. We kind of had the feeling that it was going to be bad … but it was a gut punch.' AMCS shark scientist and campaigner Dr Leonardo Guida said Simpfendorfer was 'unequivocally' Australia's most renowned and respected shark scientist. 'I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that Colin is, not just Australia's best and most respected and well known shark scientist but, even globally, he is up there at the top,' he said. Guida said he would like to sincerely thank Simpfendorfer for his expertise and service in the 'undoubtedly very challenging role' of providing scientific advice to 'what is essentially a state sanctioned marine cull of sharks'. 'As to what his resignation says, only a matter of days after Queensland's announcement to extend the shark cull, my interpretation of that would be that the Queensland government has made a decision that is no longer in line with scientific advice and recommendation,' Guida said. 'That this is a clear departure from scientific advice itself'. Several sources said that in its nearly eight years the working group had been successful in getting 'more science into decision making' around shark management in Queensland and in moving from lethal to non-lethal shark control – but that Sunday's announcement marked a 'philosophical' shift from the top. Some attributed the shift to pressure from commercial and recreational anglers who report increasingly having fish taken from their lines by sharks. Many scientists agree this behaviour – known as shark depredation – is on the rise in many places around the world, though none spoken to for this article believe that a shark cull will have any impact on depredation rates, nor improve the safety of swimmers. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Others said the decision was partly a reaction to a number of recent shark bites in Queensland, including that which killed 17-year-old surf life saver Charlize Zmuda while swimming at a Bribie Island beach in February, and that which killed youth pastor Luke Walford, who was spear fishing in the Keppel Bay Islands last December. Bribie Island has baited drum lines, while the Keppel islands do not. Shark scientist and Emmy award-winning underwater cinematographer Richard Fitzpatrick, who has been on the scientific working group since its inception, says media reporting around fatal shark incidents may also have contributed to the expansion of lethal shark control measures. 'Media hysteria in Australia is one of the biggest problems with the whole shark issue,' he said 'Imagine if it were reported at the same level we do with car fatalities'. Fitzpatrick said the expansion of lethal shark measures had 'definitely' made him consider his position on the working group, but said that, ultimately, working with the government had allowed scientists to pursue much-needed research into shark tracking and movement. Included in the government's shark control plan, he said, was a survey of shark populations which would be 'essential', would 'not be cheap' and 'must be done properly'. 'We haven't had a stock assessment done on the target species in Queensland properly ever,' he said. 'Getting that done is absolutely critical now'. 'At the end of the day our approach is to do the best research possible.' Whether that research informs decision making or not, however, is a minister's prerogative. The primary industries minister said he stood by his comments the shark control plan was backed by science in the wake of Simpfendorfer's resignation. 'The Crisafulli Government makes no apology for reaffirming the purpose of the Shark Control Management Plan 2025-2029 Plan to prioritise the safety of people above all else,' Perrett said. The minister said research showed and a recent KPMG report confirmed that 'traditional methods (nets and drum lines) are still the most effective way of protecting swimmers'. 'Until the new technology is scientifically proven as effective at protecting beach goers as traditional methods, we will continue to invest in what keeps Queenslanders and our beaches safe,' he said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Incredible creature spotted just metres from shore thrills Aussie tourists: 'Rarely come so close'
Various species of whales are putting on a show for eager spectators as they move along the east and west coasts of Australia, with the annual migration now in full swing. A group of tourists were treated to an incredible spectacle when they were gathered on rocks at Cheynes Beach, a popular stop-off for caravanners on Western Australia's south coast, hoping to catch a glimpse of at least one of the animal's leaping out of the water. In that lucky group last Saturday was Brian Willey who told Yahoo News he and his wife travel to the area a couple of times every winter to photograph the whales. However, this weekend was a little different, with Willey catching sight of a species he had never seen before roughly 15 metres from the shore. The keen wildlife photographer was flying his drone, filming a humpback with his telephoto lens, when a much bigger whale suddenly 'came around the corner'. 'Straight away I could see it was a distinctive blue colour, and the length was much longer than a normal humpback,' he said. 'I followed it for about five minutes and took about a dozen photos. People were so excited to see such a huge whale so close.' It wasn't until afterwards Brian learned he had likely captured footage of a pygmy blue whale, which 'rarely come so close' to the shore, Catherine, assistant manager at the Cheynes Beach Caravan Park, told Yahoo. While it's typical to see a lot of whale activity in the area this time of year, she said locals have been thrilled to see 'quite a few blue whales coming past as well'. Both pygmy blue whales and Antarctic blue whales, the two subspecies of blue whales found in Australia, can be found in the waters near Albany, Alexia Wellbelove, the Australian Marine Conservation Society's threatened species campaign manager, told Yahoo. Because of this, it's hard to be 'totally certain' about the species seen in Willey's photos, but it's 'very possible that it is a pygmy blue whale, as they are sighted along the coastline at this time of year travelling north', she said. 'In the field it is very hard to tell the two apart as the main difference is the size — with around six metres difference in adult whales between the two,' Wellbelove explained. 'However, pygmy blue whales are found in the Great Australian Bight and along the coastline of Western Australia from November through to May when they start to migrate north.' 🔧 Tradies dismantle wharf after massive find in water underneath 🛥️ Tourists witness brutal event as whales 'change their behaviour' in seconds 🐳 Amazing drone footage confirms start of exciting phenomenon off Aussie coast Every year, endangered pygmy blue whales travel from southern and western Australia where they feed up to Indonesia to breed — which is why they are also known as the 'Indo-Australian pygmy blue whale', Wellbelove said. Incredibly, they can grow up to 24-metres long and live for 90 years. Despite their size, 'very little is known about the population size of blue whales' Wellbelove told Yahoo. 'Much more is known about the Antarctic blue whales which was last estimated to be around 2,000 individuals.' Sadly, like most whales, they face a 'plethora of threats', including climate change impacting ocean temperatures and upwellings where they feed, and collisions with vessels involved in commercial, recreational or industrial activities. 'Blue whales are under increasing threat in our busy oceans and so are listed as endangered under our national environment law, the EPBC Act, Wellbelove said. 'It is essential that the most critical places — where these whales feed and breed — are protected from these threats as we continue to learn more about their populations to better understand how to assist their recovery.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Rare shark's 'surprising' behaviour filmed off Aussie island in 'amazing encounter'
A rare creature's entertaining behaviour off the coast of a popular Aussie island has left a local shaking with excitement. Last week, Oliver Scheele was flying his drone around Magnetic Island, near Townsville, 'surveying and looking for ocean wildlife' — as he does often — when he caught site of an endangered scalloped hammerhead hunting during high tide. Incredible footage shows the hungry shark frantically trying to find something to eat on the water's surface. At one point it even munches on a leaf, only to spit it out moments later. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Oliver said the 'amazing encounter' left him stunned as he struggled to keep the drone steady due to his excitement. 'I was definitely surprised by its behaviour, that's one of the reasons I was so excited as well as the conditions being stellar,' he said. 'You're always on edge during these fleeting moments since you never know what the animal is going to do or how long you'll see it for. 'The stars really have to align to get visuals like it — you've got wind, water clarity, animal behaviour on the surface etcetera — truly an amazing experience. So with all that it in mind it was very hard to keep calm!' 🦈 Locals in awe as rarely-seen creature washes up on remote beach 🌊 Incredible footage of special creature 'very rarely seen in Australia' 🛥️ Warning after 'unusual sightseer' in Sydney Harbour worries locals While scalloped hammerhead sharks are relatively rare to see given they are globally classified as critically endangered, they can be found off the coast of New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. 'Although it seems hard to believe, endangered scalloped and great hammerheads are still fished for fins and flesh in the waters of the Northern Territory and Western Australia,' according to the Australian Marine Conservation Society. Luckily for Oliver, he's spotted a total of three scalloped hammerhead sharks cruising around Magnetic Island over the years. 'There's a local that comes into Horseshoe Bay most dusks and dawns. It's always exciting to see a hammerhead pop up!' he said, suggesting local sharks species are attracted to trawlers that are often seen in the area. 'You can see the sharks feeding on small dead fish floating. Sharks really love easy meals so if they catch a scent, they will follow. Also being creatures of habit they will patrol areas that proved successful in the past.' Unfortunately, Oliver said the hammerhead he filmed last week was 'really close to the drumlines', and he feared it would become entangled, as others previously have. 'The drumlines don't discriminate on what they catch — they are a huge threat for endangered shark populations,' the local told Yahoo, claiming marine life can often become stuck for hours or even a full day. 'Hammerheads have a low tolerance to stress so safe releases are uncommon,' he added. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Calls for major change after 'devastating' find among bones on Aussie beach
Conservationists are urgently warning that tougher laws are needed to tackle the worsening issue of pollution in Australian waterways, after a turtle carcass was found with a "belly full of plastic" in the country's far north. Plastic pollution is an escalating crisis across the continent, with increasing amounts of waste ending up in oceans and rivers right around Australia. From microplastics washing up on once-pristine beaches to discarded fishing gear entangling marine animals, the impact on wildlife is devastating — and it's getting worse. Last week, Gumurr Marthakal Rangers on Echo Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, found a decomposed turtle that died after consuming plastic. Ingestion was most likely the cause of death, due to the fact there were no other visible signs of injury. It's not the first time deceased marine creatures have been found with plastic either inside their stomachs or entangled around their bodies. In fact, studies have shown that seabirds, turtles and fish are ingesting plastic at alarming rates. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) Plastic Pollution Campaign Manager Cip Hamilton branded the issue "utterly devastating". Hamilton says the problem affects virtually every single marine creature. "Almost every marine species in our oceans has encountered plastic pollution, and none of the impacts of this are positive," she said. "Research suggests that turtles have about 22 per cent chance of dying if they eat just one piece of plastic, and if they're eating 14 pieces, that increases to 50 per cent. As pollution is increasing in our oceans, we're just going to be seeing more and more of this." When plastic is released into our oceans, it breaks up over time and creates microplastics, which remain in the water for centuries and often leads to death in many animals. "Once in the bellies of animals, it can starve them, because it prevents them from eating nutritious food, such as fish that they should be," Hamilton said. "It also punctures the gut, because plastic can be quite sharp, which can have devastating consequences as well." Lawrence Chlebeck with the Humane World For Animals said recent studies have found plastic in the guts of 80 per cent of turtles tested. "Plastic production and pollution are increasing, and therefore, so is the amount of plastic that ends up in our waterways and eventually the ocean," he told Yahoo. "This is a big problem for marine animals, but also a big problem for us, as microplastics have been found in many fish species we consume. "Unfortunately, current legislation allows plastic producers to self-regulate, which is about as good as no legislation at all. Producers must be held accountable, invest in recycling and the development of new biodegradable materials." Incredible 730kg haul pulled from waterway exposes national crisis Warning after deadly discovery at remote Aussie beach Sad find in river highlights 'urgent' Aussie crisis Chlebeck says we "can all help the issue by supporting waste-reducing measures, calling for plastic producers to be held accountable" and shift to reusables. "We need to do what we can in our own lives to reduce our dependence on plastics, especially those that are single-use," he said. Australia produces millions of tonnes of plastic waste annually, yet recycling rates remain low, and much of the plastic discarded today will persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Single-use plastics, including packaging and takeaway containers, continue to be a major source of pollution, despite efforts by some states to phase them out. Even when disposed of correctly, lightweight plastic can be carried by wind and water into marine ecosystems, where it breaks down into microplastics that contaminate the food chain. Hamilton says Australia needs stronger policies to curb plastic waste, including stricter bans on harmful materials, improved waste management infrastructure, and greater corporate accountability. "We're seeing plastics throughout the water column. It's in ice in Antarctica, so it's really everywhere," she said. "We urgently need better and stronger packaging laws in Australia. This is something that the government has promised and committed to, but we're seeing that businesses aren't acting voluntarily. It's really challenging to avoid plastics in our day to day life, and we really need to be shifting to reusable options instead of this reliance on disposable plastics." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
