BEYOND THE BLUE
T H E M A R I N E L I F E O F
S Y D N E Y
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Ferries shuttling commuters from Harbour-side suburbs, white sails and
multi-coloured spinnakers of week-end yachts, container vessels and ship
of war are a familiar sight to all. However, within Sydney Harbour and
along it's adjacent shores there is an abundance of life and activity
below the surface of which most are unaware. Forest of kelp wave their
golden fronds, a seahorse clings by its tail to sea grass and dense shoals
of fish shimmer in the dancing light rays of the sun.
Sydney Harbour is regarded as one of the most beautiful waterways in the
world. It is used for recreation, transport and also unfortunately as a
garbage dump.
A meeting point for the tropical currents sweeping south from the Coral
Sea with the cooler waters of Southern Australia, the Sydney area is a mix
of subtropical and temperate marine species. During the summer months the
larvae and juveniles of certain tropical organisms settle here, and by
April it is not unusual to come across colourful butterflyfish or even a
banded coral shrimp living amoungst the kelp or around pier pylons. Few of
these tropical visitors survive the cooler winter seawater
temperatures.
BLUE GROPER (Achoerodus viridis)
The blue groper is not a true groper but a member of the wrasse family.
These fish begin life as females, yellow in colour, as they grow larger
they change sex and colour to become male blue gropers. They are very
curious of humans and were easy prey for spear fishers until they became a
protected species in New South Wales in the early 1970's.
As the nightlights of Sydney Harbour reflect upon the water's surface,
life stirs below. Octopus, cuttlefish and squid. Alien creatures with
green blood, three hearts, tentacles and the ability to change colour in
the blink of an eye, move through the darkness in search of food.
In the last fifty years there has been a marked decline in the diversity
of our local marine environment. For example, every year millions of
litres of oil pour into Sydney's waterways, not the result of some massive
oil spill but rather people pouring domestic oils down sinks and drains.
The future is up to us. If we are to maintain and restore the diversity
and beauty of Sydney's underwater realm we must reduce the litter, sewage
overflow and contaminants in the stormwater pollution entering our
waterways.
By Isobel Bennet A.O.
(Marine Biologist) & Richard
Fitzpatrick
(Education Officer, Oceanworld Manly)
THE WATERS OF SYDNEY
The marine region of Sydney is influenced by both subtropical and
temperate ocean currents and is home to thousands of species of marine
creatures. Dolphins, sharks, rays, large schools of pelagic fish and many
tropical fish species can be found. Molluscs such as cuttlefish and
octopus as well as other invertebrates like sea urchins and seastars are
commonly seen around the intertidal zone.
WEEDY SEA DRAGON (Phyllopteryx
taeniciolatus)
Looking more like a mythical Chinese Dragon than a fish, the weedy sea
dragons are found in water 10-50 metres deep. They occur along the edge of
kelp-covered rocky reefs where they feed on small shrimp. During mating
the female attaches eggs to the underside of the male's tail where they
remain until hatching.
Sea Dragon Video - short
version (1.3Mb MPG)
Sea Dragon Video - long version (3.4Mb MPG)
WHITE'S SEAHORSE
(Hippocampus whitei)
Resembling the knight on a chess board, seahorses are found using their
tails to cling on to seagrass and kelp. They use their tubular mouths to
suck up small shrimp and other crustaceans. During mating the female
deposits her eggs into a pouch in the male's belly where he fertilises the
eggs and then carries them until birth.
Seahorse Video - short version (1Mb MPG)
Seahorse Video - longer version (1.1Mb MPG)
Seahorse Video - full version (6.8Mb MPG)