Conservation

Marine conservation

The South Australian Whale Centre acts as an education facility, filling a crucial factor in the ongoing protection of our local marine life. In order to protect and conserve not only whales but the myriad of other amazing marine creatures that call South Australia’s waters home, we must first educate the public about the problems these animals face and the changes we can make to correct them.

If you would like to learn more or join a local conservation group please follow the affiliated links below. Each of these conservation groups works within the local area, furthering marine protection in the Fleurieu, across SA and in some cases around the world. The passion and hard work of groups like these have given us countless advances in marine protection, conservation and understanding for both our oceans and those who inhabit them.

Sea shepherd australia

“Sea Shepherd Australia is a non-profit conservation organisation whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.

Sea Shepherd Australia uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately balanced oceanic ecosystems, Sea Shepherd Australia works to ensure their survival for future generations.”.

You can visit the Sea Shepherd display at the South Australian Whale Centre to learn more about current marine issues. Their interactive “Steve Irwin” Ship Replica contains over 20 short videos on topics ranging from what life is like as a Sea Shepherd volunteer, through to the action they take when faced with whalers. The short clips are updated after each operation to ensure the public is kept up to date.

Encounter Bay Right Whale Study

The Encounter Bay Right Whale Study (EBRWS) is a citizen science project designed to research and monitor Southern Right Whales within Encounter Bay. Inspired by the Great Australian Bite Right Whale Study, EBRWS aims to Establish a Photo Identification Catalogue of Right Whale individuals that visit Encounter Bay. This allows scientists to investigate the abundance, residency, distribution and movements of Southern Right whales in the Encounter Bay area. It aids in monitoring whale health, calving and breeding patterns and also allows citizen scientists to cross reference whales as they move between calving/aggregation areas, such as Fowler’s Bay and The Great Australian Bite. All of this information contributes to national Southern Right Whale assessments, with the aim of ensuring the conservation management and protection of whales in our waters.

VICTOR HARBOR AND KANGAROO iSLAND DOLPHIN WATCH

Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch began in 2011 with SA Whale Centre volunteers and Investigator College students. As dolphins in the region are at risk due to human impact and intensive boating activity, development of public awareness and community education is an imperative for this local group. Dolphin Watch works closely with “Fleurieu Marine Life Inc.”, Observing and reporting cetacean pods and individual behaviours and movements. This includes the use of charted boats to conduct surveys and obtain images. Dolphin watch also runs an “Adopt a dolphin” program through their webpage. Many Dolphin Watch volunteers double as SA Whale Centre, Whale Spotters during the annual winter migration of Southern Right Whales.

Fleurieu marine life

“Fleurieu Marine Life Inc is a Community group dedicated to supporting Marine and Whale Conservation in South Australia. Their generous members work and raise money to support marine research and conservation on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Funding is also directed toward specific research studies or conservation projects within the region.

gOOLWA COASTCARE

Goolwa Coastcare hosts regular beach clean working bees, usually for 2 hour periods on a Sunday morning. You can find a complete calendar of their scheduled working bees by following the link above. “We always have fun and work within some amazing coastal habitats. We see all sorts of rare and interesting local flora and fauna and always leave satisfied that we have made a positive difference to the local environment.” Data from Coastcare collections are entered in a phone app called CleanSwell, which contribute’s to a world-wide data set on marine debris. Funding for this project was provided by Landcare Australia, Coca-Cola Journey and Natural Resources SA Murray-Darling Basin. Support was provided by Alexandrina Council to access the site and to undertake safety measures.

BEACH GUARDIANS VICTOR HARBOR

The Beach Guardians Network is an international community of volunteers, each working to conserve and protect their local beaches. Beach guardian communities have regular clean up days to keep local beaches clear from plastic and debris. They are also a good source of information for plastic free alternatives or clean up events in and around Victor Harbor.

CONSERVATION COUNCIL SA

“Together we are a force for nature.” Conservation SA is the voice for South Australia’s environment. Members and supporters are creating a movement of people who care about nature and a sustainable future for our state. Conservation SA works to increase awareness and engagement in South Australia’s environmental challenges and solutions, and to promote a more sustainable future for our state.