Saving soft coral

The cauliflower soft coral Dendronephthya australis provides habitat for a variety of fish and invertebrates, including the endangered White’s seahorse (Hippocampus whitei) and juvenile snapper.

However, this coral has declined so significantly in abundance in NSW that it will soon be listed as an endangered species under the Fisheries Management Act 1994. In the Port Stephens estuary, over the past decade this species has declined in the area it covers by up to 70% due to sand inundation, anchor damage, and block and chain moorings. At several locations where the species was abundant, it no longer exists.

To help the recovery of this species, a collaborative project has been underway since 2019 involving Southern Cross University and DPI Fisheries. PhD candidate Meryl Larkin and Professor Steve Smith from Southern Cross University, and Fisheries scientists Dr David Harasti and Dr Tom Davis are growing these corals in aquaria and transplanting them back into the wild.

Small cuttings of the coral are taken from the wild (known as nubbins) and attached to small concrete discs. They are fed phytoplankton and zooplankton in aquaria until they are a suitable size to be transplanted back into the wild.

The first 50 soft coral were returned to the wild in September 2020. Ongoing monitoring will assess their survival and condition. This research project will provide valuable information needed to help manage this species and ensure it doesn’t become extinct in NSW.

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