The Marine Seabird Guide to the Oceans

Oceans are big, and we mean really big! You might think it is a long way to the corner shop but that is nothing compared to getting around on the sea. Fortunately, the Conservation Council of WA (CCWA), with support from NACC, has a guide that might help. (Apologies to the late Douglas Adams).
Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 The Marine Seabird Guide to the Oceans
Oceans are big, and we mean really big! You might think it is a long way to the corner shop but that is nothing compared to getting around on the sea. Fortunately, the Conservation Council of WA (CCWA), with support from NACC, has a guide that might help. (Apologies to the late Douglas Adams).

There are innumerable vast, variable and vital ocean processes going on all the time, including massive oceanic currents that transport incomprehensible amounts of heat, nutrients and pollutants around the planet.

These currents in turn affect the distribution and abundance of oceanic plants and animals, including important food fish species. This is one of many reasons why it is important to study changes in ocean dynamics, particularly in response to a changing climate.

So with the ocean being so big and all, how do we go about studying it? One method is to concentrate on “indicator” species – those species whose “presence, absence, quantum, condition or behaviour indicates something about the state of the environment” (quote from The Guide).

Seabirds turn out to be excellent indicator species of the ocean environment, and it just so happens that one of the worlds’ premier seabird ecologists – Dr Nic Dunlop, Citizen Science Program Coordinator at CCWA – is based here in Western Australia. Nic has been studying seabird ecology and dynamics in the eastern Indian Ocean for decades.

Not content with his role as coordinatior of NACCs multi-partner seabird tracking project, Dr Dunlop has gone on to produce a brand new resource guide – Sentinel Seabirds: A guide to using marine birds to monitor marine ecosystems in Western Australia. The Guide was formally launched at last week’s NRM Forum on the Houtman Abrolhos Islands in Geraldton. These islands just happen to be one of Nic’s favourite “laboratories”.

Within the pages of this electronic document lies everything anyone might want to know about using marine birds to monitor changes in the marine ecosystems, including those brought on by climate change and the rise of marine contaminants. Seabird monitoring as a tool for fisheries management is also addressed.

Dr Dunlop said the guide was the culmination of 30 years of seabird study, much of it with the assistance of citizen scientists too numerous to mention.

“I hope the guide is used to establish more seabird monitoring programs here and around the world,” he said.

NACC joins a long, long list of collaborators and supporters on this project. Find the new Seabird Sentinel guide here

NACC’s support of this project is made possible through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.