It explained a new tool being developed by the QLD government in the ongoing battle against the Crown of Thrones starfish (COTS). The COT is a coral eating monster which is responsible to a great level of decline on the GBR.
The population of COTS have exploded over the last few decades due to excess levels of nutrients dispersed into the oceans. This has enabled a high portion of juveniles to survive, and with 60,000,000 eggs even a 1% increase in survival rates can lead to exponential growth as each generation benefits from the high levels of nutrients. With few predators the COTS have produce huge numbers of coral ravishing individuals. In outbreak areas the density of COT has been so high the level of coral degrades faster then it grows therefore destroying the reefs.
As we returned from another successful day-trip out to the GBR we moored aside the COTS Research Vessel to pick up some
passengers transferring back to land. Two guys came aboard with a large box covered in fragile stickers. My first presumption was the box was full of COTS ready for dissection and investigation. Intrigued I asked what was inside and was given a look.
Inside was a high tech looking submersible called the COTS BOT. This amazing new tech is fitted with 3 cameras capable to detecting COTS by analysing shapes, colour and texture. Once the BOT has detected a COT it moves in for the kill and lowers within striking range. An air powered piston armed with a deadly injection then fires into the COT.
The injections is a newly developed chemical which terminates the animal with a single injection, previously an injection in each arm was required. Armed with this technology the COTS BOT can be programmed with coordinates and launched from a boat while the crew stay dry and watch their
terminator at work.
Its was awesome to see this technology first hand and to talk to the men behind it. Although the COTS BOT is still in a trail period it should be ready for its first mission within a couple of months. This tech could really help the QLD government in its battle with COTS. Currently with only one dive boat to patrol the whole 2,700 km of the GBR they need all the help they can get.
In the morning the dive team disposed of 700 COTS in a single diving session. The COTS BOT will assist the divers but they are still needed as the the COTS can escape death by the BOT by hiding under a rock or in crevices. This is a somewhat futuristic method of ecology control but with such a huge area to cover it seems totally necessary.
https://wiki.qut.edu.au/display/cyphy/COTSBot
