ANL has announced today (16 September) the launch of its ‘K-Helping the Bay’ initiative, aimed at protecting some of Victoria’s essential marine biodiversity.
Specifically, the project will focus on the restoration of golden kelp forests in Port Phillip Bay, southern Victoria, which are essential to marine ecosystems.
ANL will provide financial support to launch the project, which involves collaboration between ANL, a subsidiary of the CMA CGM group, and the Deakin University Marine Research and Innovation Centre, an organisation focused on understanding climate change impacts on temperate marine waters.
According to ANL, the past 20 years has seen a decline of kelp forests and microalgae habitats throughout Australia, with Port Phillip, Victoria’s largest bay, seeing losses in some areas as high as 90%.
This is the result of increases in sea urchin populations as a result of warmer water temperatures and changes in water quality, as the urchins eat kelp, leaving barrens where there is no kelp.
ANL aims to support the regeneration of golden kelp, in which kelp younglings will be grown at the Deakin Centre, before planting of the kelp will take place at a subtidal reef, likely in December this year, the shipper said.
ANL says urchin reduction will also be undertaken in the area before deployment and periodically where needed to avoid overgrazing of newly planted kelp, with monitoring of plots to be undertaken prior and after to planting, recording kelp growth and persistence to evaluate the success of the restoration.
ANL’s managing director Shane Walden says climate change has had a damaging effect on marine biodiversity in oceans around the world, not just in Australia.
“Finding ways to help combat this through our sustainability initiatives is a priority of ANL & CMA CGM,” Mr Walden said.
“Our ships come into the bay each day, with the Golden Kelp beds deep below, so we have a responsibility to ensure that the kelp thrive and keep the ecosystem balanced.
“We are grateful to be able to provide support to Deakin University Marine Research in their efforts to restore the Golden Kelp forests of Port Phillip Bay and look forward to witnessing the progress made in the coming months.”
Dr Jacqui Pocklington, researcher at Deakin University and head of the project says golden kelp beds are like forests of the ocean, joining with other species of seaweed to provide food and shelter to many native marine species.
“Southern Australia has a huge proportion of marine species found nowhere else on earth, it’s our job to preserve them for the future,” Dr Pocklington said.
“We have a responsibility to look after the marine environment and work to repair damage done by human activities.”
