Word on the Reef
Diving into marine science adventures on the Great Barrier Reef and beyond!
Word on the Reef
Latest Episodes
S3 E16: Fish out of their (Usual) Waters: Why Marine Life are Moving Poleward
Scientists have discovered that marine species are migrating away from the equator at a rate of 40 to 70 kilometres per decade to get to cooler waters as climate change heats up our ocean.But far from being a viable escape plan, this mas...
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S3 E15: Seafood Fishing and Aquarium Harvesting on the Great Barrier Reef: Are they Sustainable?
Every year up to 7,000 tons of seafood is caught on the Great Barrier Reef, while up to 190 tons of coral is collected for the international aquarium trade. But how sustainable are these fisheries? And as consumers, how can we make sure we're m...
S3 E14: Reef Fish Beneath our City: Restoring Cairns' Urban Waterways and Oyster Reefs with Phil Laycock
Did you know that some Great Barrier Reef fish species are spending part of their life cycle in the middle of our city? That's right, marine fish species could be as close as your nearest concrete storm water drain, swimming among abandoned sho...
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S3 E13: The First Scientists: How Indigenous Knowledge can Help Protect our Oceans
For 65,000 years before computers, satellites, and scientific journals, Australia's first peoples were reading tides, stars, seasons, animal behaviour, currents, and ecosystems with extraordinary precision. Yet until recently, their knowledge w...
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S3 E12: Mud, Blood and Sea Turtles: Caitlin's Quest to Give Turtles a Future
In 2022, a mass stranding of more than 600 sick turtles devastated Hervey Bay in South East Queensland. As volunteers worked tirelessly to rescue them, scientists got to work on solving the puzzle: what caused this disaster?Dr Caitlin Sm...
