Blog icon

Marine life research highlights

Spotted Handfish

The Spotted Handfish, endemic to the Derwent River estuary in Hobart, is critically endangered. A project is underway to conserve this unique species and save it from further decline.

Marine biodiversity

We are supporting the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity from the shore to the deep sea, including coastal, shelf and offshore environments.

Microalgal biodiversity

Many microalgae look very similar but are actually highly biodiverse. In our waterways, this has important ecological implications. For industry, understanding microalgal biodiversity can underpin our use of algae to make products like biofuels.

Genetic tagging SBT

We are using invisible DNA 'fingerprints' from individual juvenile southern bluefin tuna (SBT) as tags for monitoring the size of the population and to provide data for setting the total allowable global catch.

Shark insights

Management and conservation

Sharks

Our science is helping to better understand the movement and behaviour of sharks. This includes tracking and population estimates for white sharks to inform decision-making and conservation.

Find out more

Plankton: critical little critters

We’ve known how precious our plankton are for quite a while, which is why we’re working to understand even more about these delightful critters. This is made possible through our work the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), a national ocean observing system measuring the physical, chemical and biological environment.

Using the data taken from IMOS we’re able to study climate change, ocean acidification, productivity of fisheries, biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Read more about plankton in our oceans.

[Music plays and CSIRO and IMOS logos and an image appears of sea water mixed with seaweed and text appears: Have you ever wondered what’s in that mouthful of sea water?]

 

[Image changes to show a plankton moving in a petri dish and the camera zooms in on the plankton and text appears: Millions and even billions of plankton live in the sea and are the base of the food web]

 

[Image changes to show a blue coloured plankton and text appears: They can be smaller than 1/10th of a mm and larger than a metre]

 

[Image changes to show a pink coloured plankton and text appears: They come in all shapes, sizes and colours]

 

[Image changes to show a plankton hiding inside a bubble and text appears: Some are masters at protecting themselves]

 

[Image changes to show a fish embryo plankton and text appears: Fish embryos are also plankton]

 

[Image changes to show another plankton and text appears: This critter does something unique]

 

[Camera zooms in on the plankton and shows it reflecting light and text appears: It reflects rainbow coloured light]

 

[Image changes to show a sea angel swimming and text appears: This sea angel is like a garden snail]

 

[Image continues to show the sea angel swimming across the screen and text appears: But evolved to have two flappers instead of one slimy foot]

 

[Image changes to show another form of plankton swimming and text appears: Believe it or not… this one will become a crab!]

 

[Image changes to show a jelly with four yellow arrows pointing in towards it and text appears: This little jelly has four reproductive organs]

 

[Image changes to show a baby anemone and text appears: And who can forget the anemone… this one is a baby]

 

[Image changes to show a creature like a jellyfish and text appears: Happy World Oceans Day!]

 

[Music plays and text appears: CSIRO Australia’s innovation catalyst]

 

[Image shows a plankton moving around the screen and text appears: Credits, Vision, Julian Uribe Palomino, Music, Scifi – Bensound.com, CSIRO’s plankton research is a collaboration with the Integrated Marine Observing System]

 

 

Life on the Reef

Harvesting coral spawn

Restoring coral reefs is a global challenge that has been attempted around the world, with previous research achieving varying levels of success at small and localised scales. CSIRO, together with other leading Australian research organisations, is assessing the prospect of implementing restoration at the scale of the entire Great Barrier Reef.

Crown-of-thorns starfish

Crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks are one of the three major causes of coral decline on the Great Barrier Reef. Understanding and addressing the causes and designing management approaches to moderate their severity and impact on reef ecosystems is fundamental to a healthy long-term future for the Reef.

eReefs

eReefs is a platform that provides a picture of what is currently happening on the reef, and what will likely happen in the future. We are collaborating on eReefs with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, AIMS, Bureau of Meteorology and the Queensland Government.

Explore our marine life research

Contact us

Find out how we can help you and your business. Get in touch using the form below and our experts will get in contact soon!

CSIRO will handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our Privacy Policy.


This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

First name must be filled in

Surname must be filled in

I am representing *

Please choose an option

Please provide a subject for the enquriy

0 / 100

We'll need to know what you want to contact us about so we can give you an answer

0 / 1900

You shouldn't be able to see this field. Please try again and leave the field blank.