Recent reports from the north and south of the Bay of thousands of fresh, washed-up Thin-ribbed cockle shells (Fulvia tenuicostata) raise concerns about the impact of Northern Pacific Seastars (Asterias amurensis) on this species; particularly as … [Read more...]
Time to cut the environmental cost of pest seastars?
Northern Pacific Seastars (Asterias amurensis) were first found in Port Phillip Bay in 1994. With recent estimates putting the Bay population at 165 million, and each female producing 20 million eggs, it's fair to say they're here to stay! Since … [Read more...]
Native sea star survival – what’s the odds?
Like most other seastars, Meridiastra calcar (aka Carpet Seastars, formerly Patiriella calcar) are slow movers and spend their whole life in localised areas. Their varied diet of algae, molluscs, detritus and dying animals provides a good living. But … [Read more...]
People power – best defence against pest seastars
Earthcare volunteers plucked around 5,000 pest seastars from St Kilda harbour today. The group has conducted similar culls since 2006, recording the numbers collected and their size. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the seastar … [Read more...]
North Pacific Seastar population decline?
The beautiful, but destructive North Pacific Seastar (Asterias amurensis) first arrived in Port Phillip Bay in the 1990s in ship ballast water. As they eat practically anything live or dead that they can climb onto, they thrived in the local … [Read more...]
Seastar survival strategy
Curiously, the Magnificent Biscuit Seastar Tosia magnifica is reported as relatively common in waters up to 5m in Victoria and Tassie, but is only found in deep water (to 200m) in South Australia. Just one more of those marine mysteries! But it may … [Read more...]