A recent study has highlighted the significant benefits of crown-of-thorns (COTS) starfish control on the Great Barrier Reef.
COTS have been a major cause of coral decline across the Reef for more than 40 years. They can eat an area of coral about the size of a dinner plate each day.
The study was led by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in collaboration with research and delivery partners.
It drew upon data from the COTS Control Program and the Australian Institute of Marine Science’s Long-Term Monitoring Program. The COTS Control Program is managed by the Reef Authority in collaboration with partners.
The study found regions that received timely and sufficient control efforts had:
- a reduction in starfish numbers by up to six times
- a 44% increase in coral coverage.
It shows that targeted surveillance and culling can effectively suppress COTS outbreaks and protect coral across entire reefs and regions.
The COTS Control Program continues to be one of the most effective interventions to protect coral and enhance the Reef’s resilience.
