Ocean warming increases chances of spotting manta rays and zebra sharks in NSW - and that’s good news for tourism

Climate change may be giving a surprising boost to the NSW dive tourism industry, with new research predicting manta rays and zebra sharks could spend up to 4 months longer at popular dive sites on the central NSW coast over coming decades.

The study published in the journal Marine & Freshwater Research highlights how warming ocean temperatures are expected to extend the seasonal migrations of these iconic species and it could be good news for the dive and snorkel tourism sector where manta rays and zebra sharks are a powerful drawcard.

Tourism is already the largest industry in the NSW marine estate, contributing an estimated A$4.3 billion to this sector during the 2021–22 period according to Deloitte’s 2023 report: ‘NSW marine estate economic contribution and market insights’).

In NSW dive and snorkel tourism is an important player in the tourism sector as more people flock to coastal areas for immersive marine experiences such as snorkelling, scuba-diving and dolphin and whale watching.

“Our research identified that the timing of manta ray and zebra shark seasonal migrations along the NSW central coast, is likely to be extended by ocean warming,” explained Research Scientist, Dr Tom Davis, from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Longer migration seasons could generate increased commercial opportunities for dive tourism businesses, particularly for operators in the central coast region that take customers out for encounters with manta rays and zebra sharks.

And it’s not just speculation, “The intense social media interest generated by a recent sighting of a manta ray off Manly, Sydney highlights the importance that these findings will have for NSW dive tourism operators and the public,” Dr Davis observed.

Climate change impacts on the marine estate are complex, with changes in the abundance of some species expected to potentially decline in NSW waters, while others may become more common as their range is extended.

The NSW Government’s Marine Estate Management Strategy (MEMS) is responsible for planning for both the impacts and the opportunities that climate change will bring.

The study, ‘Ocean warming projected to increase ecotourism opportunities to encounter iconic marine megafauna’, was delivered by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development through the MEMS funded Climate Change Monitoring project.