The Reef Authority is moving fast to get ahead of a rapidly intensifying Crown‑of‑thorns starfish outbreak on northern reefs, with new field intelligence showing numbers climbing between Cairns and Lizard Island. More than 50 reef managers, scientists and operators met in Cairns last week to lock in next year’s priority sites, ensuring control crews are hitting the right reefs at exactly the right time.
Assistant Director of the COTS Control Program, Dr David Williamson, says early intervention is absolutely critical, with teams already boosting capacity in the north as the outbreak strengthens. He says the workshop gives crews the intel they need to act quickly and deliver broadscale suppression before the starfish cause major coral loss.
The program currently deploys six vessels and dive teams who cull the starfish using a single‑shot injection method that has already removed nearly 1.4 million COTS since 2012. Once outbreaks take off, they become far harder to control, and the window to protect coral narrows quickly.
With the northern outbreak expected to intensify in coming years, the Reef Authority says strong partnerships, rapid intel and early action will be key to protecting high‑value tourism reefs and the broader Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.
