The Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership (GHHP) have contracted community organisations, Port Curtis Harbour Watch and the Boyne Tannum HookUp Association, to implement projects under the GHHP Citizen Science program.

Port Curtis Harbour Watch were provided funding by GHHP to undertake a water quality testing project. The project aims to expand the existing, largely school-based, environmental science program into a community citizen science program. Testing water quality in the harbour exists under the current harbour watch program, but through funding will be expanded to other areas in the broader catchment. The project outcomes are to increase awareness and knowledge of the general public to scientific water testing; and to expand the water quality testing to include parts of the broader catchment.

The Boyne Tannum HookUp Association were also awarded funding as a part of GHHP’s Citizen Science program. The Boyne Tannum HookUp Association will deliver the following four projects:

Fish Catch Data Project

InfoFish are commissioned to catch data for daily fish catches during the three day Boyne Tannum HookUp fishing competition. The data includes fish type, size and location caught through a by-catch and recreational fishing survey.

Marine Debris Clean Up Project

Two waste surveys and collections will be conducted prior to and after the Boyne Tannum HookUp fishing competition. This project would be undertaken with the support of the Boyne Tannum Scouts.

Marine Debris Sculpture Workshop

Over the three days of the event, marine debris from the pre event clean-up will be deposited at Bray Park for a sculpture workshop held for the general public. This project will be undertaken with the support of local artists and relevant organisations.

Barramundi Tracking Project

Barramundi in Awoonga Dam are to be tagged and tracked in anticipation for a spill over to determine the rate of survival, direction of travel and area inhabited in the harbour. This project will be undertaken with the support of GAWB and GPC to fund sonar equipment, boat, marine crew and public awareness campaign.

GHHP are excited for these two organisations to implement their citizen science projects and report back upon the completion of this year’s program.