The University of Newcastle will lead the New South Wales
rollout of an interactive reporting website encouraging the
community to log uncommon catches or unusual sightings of marine
life. Redmap* (Range Extension Database and Mapping project) has
been operating in Tasmania since 2009 and is now being
introduced Australia-wide to better track marine movement.
Coordinator of Redmap NSW Associate Professor Natalie
Moltschaniwskyj, a marine ecologist at the University of
Newcastle, said Redmap would tap into the marine knowledge of
the 3.5 million Australians who go fishing or diving at least
once a year. “Redmap encourages the community to submit
sightings of all marine life including fish, turtles, sharks,
rays, crayfish, corals, seaweeds, urchins and prawns,” Professor
Moltschaniwskyj said. “Due to ocean warming, we’ve noticed more
warm-water fish venturing away from their usual homes. For
example, tropical species usually seen in southern Queensland
are being seen in Port Stephens and as far south as Sydney