New weapon to fight coral-eating starfish

There is renewed hope in the battle against crown-of-thorns starfish, with trials revealing household vinegar is lethal to the coral-eating echinoderm.

Household vinegar may hold the key to preserving to beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, with trials revealing it is lethal to coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish.

An injection of white vinegar causes the echinoderms to die and disintegrate, according to the field trials by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and James Cook University.

The dying starfish pose no threat to other marine life.