In an effort to save the Great Barrier Reef, the Federal Government has announced new funding for anyone who has innovative ideas to help salvage the natural wonder.
The reef is under severe and ongoing pressure from coral bleaching, as well as from predatory starfish feeding on the healthy parts of the reef.
To help save the reef, the government has announced a $2 million fund to find new ideas on potential solutions for protecting the surviving coral reefs or encouraging better coral regeneration rates.
Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg said the fund was open to scientists, entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders.
“The scale of the problem is big and big thinking is needed, but it’s important to remember that solutions can come from anywhere,” Frydenberg said.
The government's call for ideas follows a small-scale ‘coral transplant’ in 2017, with scientists seeking to take the trial further by replicating it on a larger scale.
Other initiatives include the funding of reef water mixers, coral-eating starfish culling, wetland monitoring and policy reform.
Furthermore, a new social movement has been launched encouraging people to become ‘citizens of the Great Barrier Reef’ in an effort to raise awareness and help change behaviours around marine pollution and global warming.
This initiative follows the $2.2 million it dedicated towards the installation of eight reef mixer fans off the Queensland coast.
by Water Source
