Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society

Project Profile

Issues

The work of Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society in the development and implementation of the Far North Queensland Marine Debris Project has contributed to the education and involvement of the broader community in the reduction of marine debris and preservation of the coastline spanning North Western Australia, Far North Queensland, Fraser Island and New Zealand.

Project Detail

Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society has been nominated for a National Landcare Award for its work in protecting the coast and marine environment on the Queensland coastline.

The work of Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society in the development and implementation of the Far North Queensland Marine Debris Project has contributed to the education and involvement of the broader community in the reduction of marine debris and preservation of the coastline.

The Society has formed strong partnerships with local community members, community groups, businesses and government departments and agencies. To the end of 2009, 895 volunteers participated in the Far North QLD Marine Debris Project, conducting 976 beach and island clean-ups at coastal locations between the Torres Strait Islands and Fraser Island. Volunteers have removed over 61,453 items of debris, contributing to a significant improvement in the health and cleanliness of the local coastal and marine environment.

Founded by Heidi Taylor, Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society (TBOCS) was formed in 2004 in Western Australia to address marine debris in the South West. Since then the Society’s Marine Debris Projects have expanded to include North Western Australia, Far North Queensland, Fraser Island and New Zealand.

The Far North Queensland Marine Debris Project was launched in 2007 with the goal of reducing marine debris on the Queensland coastline. The project aims to inform and raise community awareness of the impact of marine debris on our ocean ecosystem, investigate mitigation measures to resolve and prevent marine debris, and engage stakeholders through a long-term monitoring project to help protect the coast and marine environment.

The Far North Marine Debris Project addresses the cause as well as the symptoms of the environmental problem through a multi-faceted campaign involving the collection and removal of marine debris from the coast, data collection, analysis and reporting of this debris and the engagement of key stakeholders in the management and reduction of marine debris. The project also focuses on the education of the broader community, including presentations and workshops to local school students.

With funding through Caring for our Country and QLD Natural Resources Awareness Grants and collaboration with the local community groups, government agencies, local schools and businesses, regular clean ups are now on-going providing detailed and consistent data on the state of the local marine environment.

The Society has recently collated all data up to the end of 2009, which has been analysed and reported on through an annual report which was then forwarded to local, state and national Government agencies. The report is also available to all stakeholders, contributing to the sustainable use and management of Queensland’s coastal natural resources.

The Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society project is one of 88 finalists in the National Landcare Awards to be announced in Canberra on 24 June 2010.  Commencing in 1991, the Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals and groups that make a valuable contribution to the land and coast where they live and work.

Photography

Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society