Did you know that Western Australia is the only State in Australia where weedy seadragons are not fully protected? They cannot be legally taken in any other State!
Weedy seadragon off Cottesloe
In WA they are only protected in Marine Sanctuaries and some other zones, including the Cottesloe Reef Fish Habitat Protection Area (FHPA). But they can be caught outside these areas and are actually collected and sold to the aquarium trade by licensed operators. I was shocked to discover the demand for our weedy seadragons for aquariums in Sydney. They are of course protected in NSW waters!
Many people will remember that the “weedy” was the beautiful symbol of the Cottesloe Marine Protection Group (CMPG) – the community group that worked so hard — spearheaded by Ken Macintyre and Barbara Dobson — to have our Fish Habitat Protection Area created in 2001. This community group was amalgamated with Cottesloe Coastcare Association in 2004.
This year the Management Plan for the Cottesloe Reef FHPA is to be reviewed. We feel that is a good time to push for full protection in WA for our iconic weedy seadragon – more than 10 years after the CMPG first raised this objective.
Learn more about these mythical and iconic creatures
and watch a beautiful video by Mark Binns and Kerry Fletcher
The West Australian Newspaper has published an article about our push for protection on 31st March 2010 and the Department of Fisheries has written the following reply which we publish with our comments.
Weedy seadragons off Cottesloe Reef: Photos by Mark Binns
Learn more about these mythical and iconic creatures
and watch a beautiful video by Mark Binns and Kerry Fletcher
