Murdoch University environmental scientists have teamed up with industry to win the mining category in the recent 2000 Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence, organised by the Department of Minerals and Energy.

The Murdoch team, headed by Environmental Science senior lecturer Dr Eric Paling, was part of a strong industry contingent involving Cockburn Cement and local Henderson companies Ocean Industries and Diver One Diver Two.

Acknowledged as a world first and funded by Cockburn Cement, the $500,000 EcoSub seagrass transplantation programme is part of an eight million dollar scientific study designed to maintain environmentally responsible dredging operations in Owen Anchorage.

Dr Paling said the transplantation of large sods of seagrass was carried out by two large underwater machines linked by transport shuttles.

“One machine takes up sods from donor beds before transferring them to recipient beds elsewhere in the area for replanting by the other machine,” said Dr Paling.

“The sods measure 750cm square by 400cm deep and weigh nearly half a tonne.

“Since the program began more than 2000 sods have been transplanted.”

He added that a high percentage of sods survived the move and were showing positive signs of spreading.

Dr Des Lord, head of the scientific team carrying out the studies on behalf of Cockburn Cement, said the transplantation programme was attracting world-wide attention.

“We are not aware of any work anywhere in the world that approaches what we are doing here,” said Dr Lord.

“Most transplantation elsewhere involves hand planting in relatively sheltered waters.

“We’re transplanting at a depth of eight to ten metres in very difficult conditions of swell and seabed movement and achieving a survival rate of around 60 per cent,” he said.

General manager of Cockburn Cement, Mr Martin Brydon, said the findings of the research program to date should help alleviate public concern about the future of seagrass in the area.

“The studies have shown conclusively that there is strong natural regrowth of seagrass in Owen Anchorage,” said Mr Brydon.

“On Success Bank there are now 500 hectares more seagrass than when we commenced dredging in the area in 1972.

“Importantly, the studies show that nearly 30 years of continuous dredging have made no measurable impact on the ecological function of the area.”