What's wrong with this picture? The northern Pacific seastar is an
introduced marine pest that has invaded parts of southern Australia.
Australia is an island continent with a unique set of animals and plants that have evolved together over millions of years.
When you arrive in Australia from another country, you have to declare any plant or animal matter you are carrying so quarantine officials can stop any organisms that might pose a threat to the health of Australia's population, agricultural, fishing and aquaculture industries and native animals and plants.
But marine pests can slip into Australia on the hulls or in the ballast water of ships calling at our ports. And once they are here, like the rabbit on land, they may be impossible to get rid of.
The northern Pacific seastar, for example, is believed to have first reached Australia in the early 1980s. There are now thought to be about 30 million in the Derwent River near Hobart, and they have the potential to cause problems for the aquaculture industry and native marine organisms.
That's where our team comes in. We work for the Federal Government's science
agency, CSIRO, studying introduced marine pests. We survey ports to identify
introduced species and map their distribution. This information helps create
a picture of where the exotic pests are so they can be controlled or possibly
eliminated.
The people in our team are all young, so it's a great place to work. Some of us study part-time as well as working, which is a good way to gain experience and qualifications at the same time. But the best part is being able to combine our work with scuba diving and underwater photography, which most people can only enjoy in their spare time.
Copyright 1997 Nancy Mills, PO Box 18166, Collins St East, Melbourne, VIC 8003
Page last updated 31 May 2000