An Update on the Status of Crown of Thorns

 In recent weeks, AIMS, the Joint Field Management Program and COTS Control Program monitoring have confirmed an increasing abundance of adult and juvenile COTS on several northern region reefs between Cairns and Lizard Island.

Given that this region has been identified as the 2010 ‘primary outbreak’ origin of the current wave of secondary COTS outbreaks that are still impacting downstream reefs, this emerging situation is concerning.

The situation was discussed at the Pre-Summer Reef Health Workshop held in late November, where managers and science partners agreed that we are likely seeing the emergence of a new primary outbreak of COTS.

If you observe COTS activity, we would appreciate it if you could use the Eye on the Reef app to capture this information.

THE GBRMPA COTS Control Program team will continue to monitor the situation and relay new information as it becomes available.