Even Worse

Starfish Problem

In Australia

The crown-of-thoms starfish, killer of reef coral, made the

news in Australia, Papua-New

Guinea and Western Samoa in

August.

In Australia, Dr. Bruce W. Hal stead, director of the World Life Research Institute, spent some time diving in Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef and confirmed the worst fears of the small band of academic/divers who have tried to win public aware ness about the dangers of the starfish (Acanthaster planci ) menacing the reefs of the Pacific.

He said, after diving at three reefs: “I saw more starfish in one dive than I have seen in 20 years all through the Pacific. There is a population explosion of starfish and they are damaging and finishing off the reefs.

It is very clear cut.”

He announced that the WLRI would establish a marine laboratory at Magnetic Island on the Barrier Reef to carry out research on the crown-of-thorns. He also confirmed deeper fears that the incidence of starfish is only an early symptom of a greater problem—the growing incidence of cancerous fish. In some fishing grounds of America, 50 per cent, of fish caught were unconsum able because they were ulcerated, contaminated with cancer-producing agents or had other defects. Aus-

Continued on p. 44

That spiny starfish.

Continues from p. 41 tralia, with continuing pollution, could expect the same results.

He added that if the Australian Government permitted oil drilling off the coast, they would be signing the death warrant of the Barrier Reef.

To combat the starfish he intends labelling them to follow their move ments and introducing a giant shrimp with a reputation as a starfish devourer.

In Papua-New Guinea there is growing belief that it could be next in line for a starfish population explosion. According to the Assistant Director for Research and Surveys, Mr. G. K. Graham, starfish are already found well above normal population level near Port Moresby, Samarai, in the Siassi and Manus groups and near Wewak. At Umbukul village on New Hanover starfish had completely destroyed the reef.

Mr. Graham said it was feared that by destroying the reefs, starfish were placing the livelihood of hundreds of fishing villages in jeopardy. He ap pealed for people to notify the Department of Research and Surveys if starfish were seen in their area so that the extent of the starfish danger could be felt.

In Western Samoa the results of a survey into the starfish plague early this year are now known. The star fish, it was found, had been well known to the villagers for some time under the name of Alamea. Villagers cured the poisonous wound of the starfish spine by placing the suckers on the underside of the starfish over the wound and allowing them to suck the poison back.

Infestations were found at several points on the south coast of Upolu and a bounty of 5 sene per starfish was offered on four separate hunts carried out by five villages over two weeks on a stretch of five miles.

A total of 13,847 starfish were collected and it was found later that this means of collecting was very effective, only a few starfish being sighted in this area again for some time. Most effective collecting, it was found, was during one tidal period followed by four or five days rest.

The infestations seemed to be localised at points directly opposite villages, indicating that normally clean areas of coral growth dis couraged starfish and that DDT, de tergents and sewage had a weakening effect on the reef.

Although there were not adequate funds available for the project, carried out by the fisheries department and the college of tropical agriculture, it was demonstrated that a small South Pacific community can deal effectively with starfish with their own resources.