Crown-of-Thorns

Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci have been a major issue on the Great Barrier Reef and other Indo-Pacific reefs for nearly 40 years. The outbreaks have generated great concern among the community and considerable debate among scientists.

Outbreaks generally occur at regular intervals with coral cover returning to pre-outbreak levels in the intervening years. The most recent outbreak on reefs between Cairns and the Whitsundays has been costing tourism operators and the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments about $3 million a year for control measures.

Despite more than 30 years of research on this very complex problem, and the commitment of millions of dollars on research over the last 17 years, the ultimate causes of the outbreaks are still not clear. However, there is now a much greater understanding of the biology of the starfish, the nature of the outbreaks, and the pattern of recovery of the reefs.

Future research

Scientists will continue to search for the cause or causes of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks. They will also:

• Continue to monitor crown-of-thorns populations.
• Investigate links between terrestrial run-off and crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks.
• Investigate more cost-effective methods to control crown-of-thorns starfish.

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Researchers of the Cooperative Research Centre for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (CRC Reef) in Townsville, Australia have produced a number of Technical reports about Crown-of-Thorns starfish:

CRC Reef Technical Report 47 Analyses of crown-of-thorns starfish data from the fine-scale surveys and the long-term monitoring program manta tow surveys (Not Yet Available).

CRC Reef Technical Report 45 Fine-scale surveys of the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) in the Cairns section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Status report 2000-01. (Not yet available)

CRC Reef Technical Report 32 Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) in the central Great Barrier Reef region. Results of fine-scale surveys conducted in 1999-2000.

CRC Reef Technical Report 30 Fine-scale surveys of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) in the central Great Barrier Reef region.

CRC Reef Technical Report 25 Development of cost-effective control strategies for crown-of-thorns starfish

CRC Reef Technical Report 17 Genetic determination of sources of Acanthaster planci recruitment

CRC Reef Technical Report 10 An investigation to describe the population dynamics of Acanthaster planci (L.) around Lizard Island, Cairns section, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park