Free Marine Discovery Talks on May 11 will highlight efforts to save endangered marine life in Port Stephens

DPI Fisheries senior marine scientist Dr David Harasti and Southern Cross University PhD researcher Meryl Larkin will present a free talk on the dramatic decline in soft corals and seahorses in Port Stephens in the past decade and what is being done to assist with their recovery.

"In 2020, the White's Seahorse became listed as the second endangered seahorse species in the world. Port Stephens used to be a hotspot region for this seahorse species, however over the past decade their numbers have significantly declined," Dr Harasti said.

"At the Marine Discovery Talk, I will be talking about the DPI conservation program currently underway to recover White's Seahorse populations within Port Stephens using artificial habitats known as Seahorse Hotels and a new conservation stocking program."

Ms Larkin said the installation of artificial habitats is also an initiative that is being used to restore populations of the endangered cauliflower soft coral Dendronephthya australis.

"The cauliflower soft coral is an important habitat for numerous marine species, and Port Stephens is one of the few locations this coral occurs. Over the past decade, the abundance of the species within Port Stephens has declined by approximately 95 per cent," she said.

"I am looking forward to talking to local residents about our work to help recover this species... by transplanting soft coral cuttings and installing 'coral condos'".

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Since January, Ms Larkin has been working to continue soft coral restoration that was stalled by the devastating impacts of the March 2021 flood.

In collaboration with Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Ms Larkin and DPI staff have been restoring areas where soft coral species used to occur in abundance, in particular around Corlette and Little Beach. This work is being supported by a three year NSW Environmental Trust grant.

Ms Larkin's current research focuses on establishing the optimal methods to ensure the survival of transplants in the wild long-term.

"This involves taking small cuttings, known as nubbins, from donor colonies in the wild and then growing them in aquarium at the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute," she said.

"A new trial was implemented utilising coral condos and coral trees that have been installed at sites in Port Stephens to help improve the survival of transplanted soft corals.

"The coral condos and coral trees raise the soft corals off the seafloor to allow them to grow without the risk of being buried by shifting sands. Sand burial is a significant threat to the survival of soft corals and appears to be occurring more frequently in the estuary.

"Once the cauliflower coral transplants are large enough, they will be moved off their temporary homes and placed onto the seafloor to help assist with the species recovery in Port Stephens and provide important habitat for the Port's marine life."

Ms Larkin said one of the last remaining colonies of adult soft coral in Port Stephens, at Corlette, has been impacted by heavy rain in February and March and "may not survive much longer".

Juvenile coral colonies planted by Ms Larkin and DPI staff at Little Beach were almost completely killed off by the severe weather early in the year.

However, colonies planted at Corlette have had a higher survival rate.

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