SURG News

SURG marine debris survey and clean-up

Posted: 5 years 2 months ago

SURG members turned out in force to conduct underwater marine debris surveys at Red Rock Saturday last, 22nd November.

Using protocols designed by the National Marine Science Centre and promoted by Underwater Volunteers NSW, 10 members surveyed a portion of the estuary adjacent to the shop and up towards the boat ramp. Members first ran out 25 metre tapes, end on end, in approximately 3 to 4 metres of water parallel to the bank. Then using slates and underwater paper, each piece of debris within 2.5m either side of the tape was recorded and after the surveys were completed, the... Read more

Nelson Bay – Sea Slug census IV

Posted: 5 years 5 months ago

Sea Slugs are sometimes so colourful you can't help but see them, but when you are looking for them, that can be a different matter! Nelson Bay in Port Stephens, just north of Newcastle, has long been known as a sea slug, or nudibranch, hot spot: so much so that there are now organised Sea Slug censuses to get a handle on the diversity of species, their numbers and seasonal occurrences.

The census is the brainchild of Dr Steve Smith from Southern Cross University's National Marine Science Centre (NMSC) in Coffs Harbour who in a joint partnership with Underwater Volunteers NSW (... Read more

Winter coral health surveys

Posted: 5 years 6 months ago

The water temperature has dropped to 18 degrees Centigrade which opens the way for SURG members to begin the next round of winter surveys for the project, Health and coral communities in the Solitary Islands Marine Park . This will be the third and last of the winter surveys with only one summer round remaining to complete the research project. Read more

Researching rocky platforms

Posted: 5 years 10 months ago

SURG and family members turned up for the inaugural Rock Ramble at Woolgoolga Headland on the 13 th April. The weather was fine and sunny, and even with a large amount of kelp in some of the more accessible pools, there was plenty of territory to explore. In one rock pool alone we found nudibranches, sea hares, hermit crabs, lots of urchins and molluscs and to our surprise a small wobbegong.... Read more

SURG members help coring research

Posted: 5 years 11 months ago

SURG members helping to unravel the controlling factors that drive the distribution of corals in the Solitary Islands.

Recently members from SURG (Ian Shaw and Bob Edgar) have been involved in a research program led by Dr Steve Dalton (SURG member), Dr Sander Scheffers and Assoc. Prof. Steve Smith (SURG member) that aims to historically date slow growing subtropical corals that are found off the northern NSW coast. Ian and Bob’s extensive knowledge of the reefs adjacent to Coffs Harbour was needed to locate large slow growing massive corals and they assisted in the coring the... Read more

Coral health project has reached its halfway point

Posted: 5 years 11 months ago

In early 2012 Coffs Harbour's Solitary Islands Underwater Research Group (SURG) Inc. received $34,164 from the NSW Government through the NSW Environmental Trust to conduct research into the health of coral communities in the Solitary Islands Marine Park.

The project has reached the halfway point and to date reefs adjacent to 7 islands have been surveyed several times, with the Summer 2014 round of surveys underway. A total of 28 sites at these locations have been... Read more

SURG members celebrate Christmas

Posted: 6 years 2 months ago

The SURG Christmas party marked the close of a very busy and successful year of research and social activities for the club.

During the year the club conducted fish counts and completed the final report for the Caring for our Country - Community Action Grant, Monitoring specified marine fish species - indicators of climate change , conducted coral health surveys as part of the Health of coral communities in the Solitary Islands Marine Park project and repaired the underwater trail at North Solitary Island.

Next year should also be a busy year with continued coral health... Read more

Nambucca River estuary clean-up

Posted: 6 years 5 months ago

Twelve SURG members conducted a successful clean-up of the Nambucca River estuary on Sunday 22nd September. This clean-up was organised by the Nambucca Heads Local Aboriginal Land Council, the National Marine Science Centre and SURG. The estuary is part of the Gumma Indigenous Protected Area and the Land Council have been entrusted with the preservation of the river estuary and islets at the river mouth on behalf of the traditional owners, the Gumbaynggirr people. This is the 3rd year that SURG volunteers have participated in the clean-up and the good news is that the amount of debris... Read more

Underwater trail upgrade

Posted: 6 years 7 months ago

At a recent meeting of SURG members, it was decided to refurbish the broken and missing plaques on the underwater trail at North Solitary Island. In place since 2002, the plinths have withstood over 10 years of weather and tides without moving from their original location. About half of the plaques and most of the direction pointers have survived intact but some have been broken or are missing completely. Replacement plaques and a suitable adhesive have been obtained, and it is hoped the first trip to North Solitary to prepare the plinths will be undertaken soon and the trail can be... Read more

SURG Annual General Meeting

Posted: 6 years 7 months ago

The AGM of the Solitary Islands Underwater Research Group Inc was on the 17th July at the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour. Office bearers elected for the 2013/14 year were Nicola Fraser - President, Mel Maione - Vice President, Susan Gibbs - Treasurer, Ian Shaw - Secretary, Neil Vaughan - Social Secretary, Matt Harrison - Project Officer, Steve Dalton - Expedition Officer, with Andrea Muller, Bob Edgar, Tom Mair and Lindy Powells all elected as Committee Members.

The President,Nicola Fraser, elected for her second term of office, praised past office bearers for... Read more

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