Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For a few short months every year, enormous aggregations of Killer Whales or Orca and other marine life occur 70 kilometres offshore of Bremer Bay in the Great Southern region of my electorate of O'Connor. For the past three years, filmmaker Dave Riggs and Naturaliste Charters have conducted eco-tourism adventures into this area, now known worldwide as the Bremer Canyon Orca Hotspot.

Last year, community advocacy for this phenomenon, together with recommendations from the Commonwealth Marine Reserves Review, prompted the Minister for the Environment to announce a $100,000 National Environmental Science Program research grant to improve understanding of this biodiversity hotspot. This was enhanced by a further $50,000 from the Director of National Parks.

This month, the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub's team, with scientists from Curtin University and the University of WA and coordinated by Professor Jessica Meeuwig, has undertaken several research projects. Last week, I met marine mammal researcher Bec Wellard and marine biologist Verity Steptoe at Albany airport, as they commenced aerial surveys of the area. Meanwhile a deep water glider is collecting oceanic and biochemical data to a depth of 1000 metres, and a mid-water pelagic fish survey is providing data on key species, including whales, giant squid and sharks.

I thank former Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt and current Minister Josh Frydenberg, for recognising the value of this unique phenomenon, and facilitating research that may lead to greater protection of the area outside the existing marine reserve.