Contents
National Dragon Search
Dragon Search (SA) Database Update
Re-release Policy for Latest Leafy Seadragon Permits
Seadragon Deaths Remain a Mystery
Measuring the Home Range of Leafy Seadragons
New National Dragon Search Logo
NSW Update
WA Update
The Malacological Society of South Australia Inc.

As outlined in The Dragon's Lair Vol. 3.1, the Dragon Search seadragon community-monitoring project has gradually been expanding to other States, and now part time coordinators have been established in each of the five States where seadragons are known to occur.

To improve coordination of the Project nationally, the Dragon Search Network recently held a Dragon Search Coordinators' Conference in Adelaide to work through national organisational structures, review data collection procedures and data management, and draft new national survey forms and brochures.

The revised national survey forms and brochures are compatible with a new national Dragon Search database. Although most questions on the survey form remain unchanged, one noticeable difference is that the questions have been split into ‘essential’ and ‘optional’ sections, and along with the re-wording and deletion of some questions the survey forms are a lot easier to understand. The revised form and brochure will be available in the new year.

The Dragon Search project is supported across the states through a small but diverse mix of Coastcare and Fisheries Action Program grants as well as direct support from Western Australian Fisheries, the MCCN, TSN (SA) and the Australian Marine Conservation Society. Almost twenty organisations are directly involved in project support around the country.

Queensland and Northern Territory groups are interested in investigating extension of the project into other areas of syngnathid conservation.

The Dragon Search Project's methodologies could be readily adapted nationally for the main species of seahorses found in our waters. However Australia’s thirty or more pipefish present an ongoing problem in relation to field identification.
 

Dragon Search (SA) Database Update

Marine ecologist Janine Baker has recently completed an analysis of the first two years of South Australian Dragon Search data. Brief summaries of some of the initial queries run on the database are given here, but there is a real need for more data and correlation with national trends.

The project is limited with regard to determining status or population estimates. The data is able to indicate species distributions, and information on habitat and physical characteristics. Information on breeding times around the coast is also a valuable piece of information being gained.

Records to date suggest some seasonal trends with regard to breeding. Weedies appear to have a more protracted season and start as early as August, breeding through to January with a peak in November. Leafies appear to be restricted to October through to January, with a peak in October. There are no records for either species breeding past January

The sightings of juveniles appear quite spread out from October to May. There may be some difficulty with divers classifying juveniles. One may infer that either divers are seeing fish from the current season or year old juveniles.

For both species there is a peak in beach washed animals from September to January. Males with eggs have been washed ashore around this time. Whether there is any correlation with stress related to breeding, or brooding animals moving closer in shore and thus being more susceptible to storm events, will need more examination of national trends.

The depth at which seadragons are seen ranges from one metre to 17 metres for Leafies, and one metre to 22 for Weedies. Most Leafy sightings occur between the 3 and 5 metre mark while Weedies appear to be seen more frequently at depths between 8 and 12, with other peaks at 4 and 20 metres.

From data to hand, both Weedies and Leafies appear to tolerate a range of water temperatures between 12°C and 23°C. However slightly more Leafy records occur between 16 and 18°C, and Weedies at 16°C. One query worth investigating at a national level is the correlation between water temperature and brooding male sightings.

The reports also give some insight into mortalities and some threatening processes. One surprise was the number of foul-hookings of Leafy Seadragons by recreational fishermen at a well-known jetty dive site. By-catch in prawn trawl fisheries, regulated removal by aquarium collectors from inappropriate populations, and unregulated take are other potential threats.

By far the greatest frequencies of sightings come from Gulf St Vincent, followed by Eyre Peninsula, which may be more related to popularity of dive sites than true abundance. Seadragons are seen throughout the year, but the key viewing months appear to be October through to April, in particular December, January, February and April.

The Dragon Search database is community generated information, and as such should be available to the community in some form. The raw data however is confidential and NO site specific information is passed on to collectors, or management agencies involved in issuing collection permits. Dragon Search has actively encouraged syngnathid protection legislation nationally and at a state level and the only publicly available information is general regional data.

The project is showing is that seadragons and seahorses are extremely popular species that captivate the public imagination. Seadragons can be a “flagship species” for marine conservation in the spectacular and unique southern temperate waters of Australia. As such they can serve as a rallying point for major conservation initiatives.

In Southern Australia marine protected areas for vulnerable species have been established for sea-lions and more recently Southern Right Whales. There are however a number of fish and invertebrate species and their habitats that may be vulnerable, but there is little information available to assess their status or define areas for habitat protection. The Dragon Search data is helping to define important habitat areas for seadragons and may assist in the establishment of marine protected areas in significant habitat areas.

By regularly submitting survey forms to Dragon Search, you will increase the evidence for, and likelihood of, the establishment of marine protected areas.

A special thank you must go to the Valley View diver who has set a good example by recently going through his dive log book and submitting 32 seadragon sighting forms. Keep up the good work.

This update is an abridged version of an article written by Tony Flaherty and Janine Baker. For a more complete summary of the Dragon Search (SA) Database Update refer to the Marine Life Society of SA Inc. Journal. Number 9, December 1998. pp 30-35.

Tony Flaherty, Marine & Coastal Community Network
Janine Baker, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus
 

Re-release Policy for Latest Leafy Seadragon Permits

Primary Industries SA has placed release conditions on a permit issued to Ascidian Aquariums in Victoria for the collection of an egg carrying male Leafy Seadragon. The condition stipulates that the male must be released as near as possible to its collection point after eggs have been released. There are also stipulations that a written report be provided, and the details of the return to the area of collection be lodged, to the Director of Fisheries.

There appear to be no conditions relating to the area of collection, so animals could be taken from a marine reserve or popular dive site. How practical the re-release policy will be and what danger of introducing disease or viral infection into SA waters after transfer of animals from an aquarium are unknown.
 

Seadragon Deaths Remain a Mystery

Large numbers of Weedy Seadragons have been washed up on Kangaroo Island and the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula (South Australia) in the last month.

Some of the beach-washes have been associated with the wash up of dead pilchards. Whether there is any link to a virus is not known. Dragon Search has been unsuccessful in obtaining fresh specimens to forward to Primary Industry Fisheries pathologists for examination.

From the Dragon Search records over the last few years, it appears there is a peak in beach washed sightings from September to January for both Leafy and Weedy Seadragons, with another apparent peak in April possibly related to storm events.

Males with eggs have been washed ashore around September to December. This may be a stressful time of year as it is the time when females transfer their eggs to the males' tails for incubating. However this latest event is unusual and does not appear to relate to storm events or breeding stress as juveniles have also been washed up.

Whether there is any correlation with stress related to breeding, or brooding animals moving closer in shore and thus being more susceptible to storm events will need more examination of national trends.

If you have found carcases please contact the Dragon Search Coordinator in your State. If you find a fresh specimen (still quite supple and with bright colour) it should be sealed in a plastic bag and frozen.

Tony Flaherty
Marine & Coastal Community Network/Dragon Search (SA)
 

Measuring the Home Range of Leafy Seadragons

Leafy Seadragons swim slowly, gliding unhurriedly even in their liveliest of escape routines.  This is a major part of their incredible attraction to divers.  Divers can get a really good look at the beauty of this incredible fish.  What is more, at least some Leafy Seadragons tend to be found over and again in the same location for long periods.  They have what is known as a home range.

The initial data on seadragon movement was gained through intensive underwater work over the course of a year at the same location by our team, which includes Andrew Melville and is supported by the South Australian Research & Development Institute.  This work was successful because we had built a library of photographic images that allowed us to identify individual dragons.  The method is, however, time consuming and expensive.  The incredible camouflage which Leafy Seadragons use blend into a background of algae makes finding them underwater highly problematic, even for trained divers. The difficulty in detecting the dragons and the often poor visibility at our location severely limited the usefulness of the method of measuring movement by sighting and re-sighting fish.  We needed to be able to track movement of seadragons using a more efficient method than underwater searching.

After months of testing underwater tracking devices, we settled upon an ultrasonic tracking method.  The popular method of following movement of animals on the land, in the air and in freshwater using radio-tracking equipment is useless in seawater.  Ultrasonic frequencies are more useful, although they are not at all straightforward especially in habitats containing a lot of vegetation and wave action – exactly the situation for Leafy Seadragons, that tend to occur on exposed coasts supporting algal covered reefs or seagrass.

We can now carefully attach miniature ultrasonic tracking devices to Leafy Seadragons.  We use the smallest transmitters available and ensure they have neutral buoyancy.  Transmitters are removed after a short period to ensure there is no long term effect on the fish.  During our first study period, we followed a dragon for 15 days.  It moved constantly, but in a pattern that left it within the same small bay for the entire period.  We now have a reliable measure of the home range over that period for that animal.  In the future we will use the method to follow other dragons to build up a picture of patterns of movements of different individuals at different times of the year.  This information is critical in developing a management plan for Leafy Seadragons.

Dr Rod Connolly, Griffith University
 

New National Dragon Search Logo

Dragon Search has a new national logo, designed to replace the old South Australian Dragon Search logo that featured the Leafy Seadragon. The new logo incorporates both the Leafy and Weedy Seadragon and as such can be used across all states.

NSW Update

Over the last couple of months NSW Dragon Search Coordinator Rebecca Raap has given talks and seminars to various community groups and dive clubs about the Dragon Search Project and marine conservation. Over 200 people have now contacted Rebecca for information about the Dragon Search project.

During October 128 Surf Life Saving Clubs in NSW joined the search for seadragons. Their close proximity to the beach makes them a great asset to the Dragon Search project particularly in regards to beach-washed specimens found along the strand line.

Sydney seadragons became national celebrities when they appeared on the Channel Nine ‘Today’ show on Tuesday 20th October. Celebrating the birthday of the Opera House, the show included a segment on life in Sydney Harbour with Weedy Seadragons, stars of the show!

Lea Lennon, a free-lance graphic designer and film-maker, has kindly volunteered her services to produce a poster to advertise the Dragon Search Project in NSW dive shops, surf life saving clubs and other strategic public places. The Poster will feature a painting by South Australian wildlife artist, Sue Stranger. Many thanks to both for their assistance.

Jervis Bay (NSW) had a number of dead beach-washed Weedy Seadragons in the week leading up to Easter 1998. The specimens did not appear to have any physical damage or external signs of disease. An article in the NSW Fisheries Magazine, stated that conditions leading up to the kill were characterised by calm seas within the bay and dry weather. Other factors investigated were commercial garfish hauling operations in the area at the time and also the proximity of a tertiary sewage treatment plant outfall to the kill. The EPA investigated whether any abnormal discharges had come from the plant, but concluded nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Commercial fishers were contacted and indicated that no seadragons had been incidentally caught during their garfish hauling operations.

Dead seadragons continued to wash up in the same area of Jervis Bay for a further two to three weeks. There was also an unconfirmed report of a dead dragon found at Callala on the opposite side of Jervis Bay. To date over 30 seadragons have been found dead in Jervis Bay. In contrast to Kangaroo Island, no other species of marine life appeared to have been affected at this time. NSW Fisheries are still unsure to what caused the kill.

To date Dragon Search (NSW) has only received two live Weedy Seadragon sightings from Jervis Bay (in 1995 and 1996). If you know someone that lives in or is likely to travel to the Jervis Bay area please let them know that Dragon Search (NSW) would appreciate any dead or live seadragon sightings on ph: +61 2 9247 4120. The Dragon’s Lair will keep you up-dated on any further mystery kills.

Rebecca Raap
Dragon Search (NSW)
 

WA Update

Dragon Search in WA got underway under the auspices of the Australian Marine Conservation Society early in 1998 when Tony Flaherty visited Perth to participate in planning activities and give a public lecture on the project. Supporting organisations in WA are Fisheries WA, Marine and Coastal Community Network, Threatened Species Network and Underwater World (Hillarys – one of the few Australian aquariums which keeps and has successfully reared seadragons for release back to the wild). The project is funded under NHT – Fisheries Action Program providing for a part-time project officer and basic project support.

A steering committee was quickly formed, office space organised and the fundamentals of the project set in place. The project here was fortunate to have the opportunity to print a brochure in full colour as an over-run to the printing of the Fisheries WA quarterly magazine. Accessing photographs and getting the design, copy and layout right took time but by early September the brochure was rolling off the presses with the winter edition of Western Fisheries. 7,000 were distributed with the magazine and thousands more went out through dive shops and clubs, libraries and other outlets. Combined with radio and press interviews and public talks, the profile of Dragon Search in WA is being raised.

To date the number of report sheets returned exceeds 80. Not bad for a three month period. Sightings have been reported from Esperance to Geraldton and come from SCUBA divers, snorkelers, commercial and recreational fishers and of course beachcombers. One pleasant surprise has been input from a number of commercial fishers, including purse seine operators and licenced marine aquarium collectors.

Perhaps the most interesting outcome so far has been the sighting of a Leafy Seadragon near Geraldton, at least 200 km further north than any of the seadragon distribution maps show.

The New Year will see further consolidation of public awareness of Dragon Search with more regional and metropolitan talks showing slides and video of seadragons and outlining the project. WA sightings will be integrated to the national database adding to the emerging picture we have of these astonishing creatures.

Dennis Beros
Dragon Search (WA)
 

The Malacological Society of South Australia Inc.

Malacologists are people interested in learning more about  molluscs, the shells (conchs) and the animals that live in them, what they eat, their habitats, breeding and the environment issues that may affect them.

No prior knowledge is necessary to join or visit the Society. Members collect and swap not only shells from the sea but freshwater and terrestrial species and extend their interests to fossil specimens as well.

Twice a month a short meeting is held, after which a talk is given on a particular topic. A timetable of topics, field trips and other activities is available on application.

Club members have access to an extensive reference library to assist identification, the occasional collection of specimens under permit from SA Fisheries, and export permits for the exchange of specimens with people overseas.

An ongoing project is the production of a CD-ROM pictorial database, entitled South Australian Mollusca. Contributions of information and images are now being sourced. Contact the Society on this and any other topics, in writing through the SA Museum, or telephone the secretary on +61 8 8381 3987.
 
 

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