New assignment for Qld citizen scientists

Ocean-loving Queenslanders are being called on to join a citizen science project and document marine species moving beyond their normal habitat.

The Rusty Jobfish, the Midnight Snapper and Oblique-banded Sweetlips are among the ocean life people are being asked to target for a citizen science project.

Their observations of these and other on-the-move sea creatures will be used in the Australia-wide Redmap project to document marine species travelling beyond their normal habitat.

James Cook University marine biologist Jan Strugnell says Redmap needs fishermen, divers and ocean lovers to log information and photos about uncommon species in Queensland waters.

"Many marine species all over the world are shifting their distribution towards the poles, which means further south for us in the southern hemisphere," she said.

"That's often in response to changes in the marine environment, such as ocean warming."

Assoc Prof Strugnell said species normally move around 30km per decade but some species, such as the Long Spine Sea Urchin and Yellowtail Kingfish, were travelling at more than 100km per decade.

"When researchers go in and look at an ecosystem they're finding that between 25 and 80 per cent of marine life are moving in response to climate," she said.

"That's a huge proportion of plants and animals changing where they live."

Assoc Prof Strugnell said it was important to understand what happens when a species moves into a new area.

"We don't know what the effects will be on the finely balanced ecosystem and species already living there," she said.

"Some of the species moving are predatory, like Coral Trout and Crimson Snapper, and that can have a big impact."

Assoc Prof Strugnell said when Long Spine Sea Urchins moved into Tasmanian waters they feasted on the kelp creating a barren seascape and robbing indigenous marine life of their ecosystem.

"It's crucial that we keep an eye on what is happening in Queensland waters and our citizens can play an important role in helping with that," she said.

In Queensland, Coral Trout, Barramundi, Golden Snapper and the Eastern Clown Anemonefish are among the other species citizen scientists are asked to watch for outside their normal range.

Collected information on the marine life can be logged at Redmap's website: http://www.redmap.org.au/.