Dethroning the crown-of-thorns starfish

[Image appears of the CSIRO logo]

[Music plays and an animated image appears of the sea coast with vegetation and trees]

Narrator: The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world.

[Animation image changes to show divers swimming through the reef]

A global icon and uniquely diverse ecosystem.

[Animation image shows a reef with fish swimming past and then the camera zooms in on a Crown of Thorns starfish]

But the reef is under threat. Crown of Thorns starfish are one of the major causes of coral loss.

[Animation image changes to show a map of the reef with a growing purple mark showing the reefs affected areas and to the left of the screen a year count down appears counting from 1982 to 2017]

Any future outbreaks remain key threats to this important Australian ecosystem.

[Animation image changes to show a diver with a spear gun destroying a Crown of Thorns starfish, and then appearing above the water surface at a life buoy]

At the CSIRO, our current focus is on reducing immediate damage and preventing or reducing damage in the future.

[Animated images move through of a life buoy with the CSIRO logo in the centre, six life buoys with other organisational logos floating towards it, and then dotted lines connecting the buoys]

We do this through a collaborative research effort.

[Animation images move through to show a Tropical Water Quality Hub map with people standing in front of the map, and then a researcher wearing green gloves]

Our approach draws on the experience of crown of thorns starfish control operators, policy makers and researchers.

[Animation image shows a hand signing a document then animation image moves to the left to show a diver destroying the Crown of Thorns starfish]

We use this combined expertise to develop strategic and operational approaches to controlling Crown of Thorns starfish.

[Animation image changes to show a researcher walking through a laboratory and then the image changes show a map of the reef with a growing purple mark showing the reefs affected areas]

These strategies improve the rates of control and focus on achieving meaningful outcomes for the entire reef.

[Image changes to show the CSIRO logo and text appears: www.csiro.au]

At CSIRO, we imagine, we collaborate, we innovate.