Resource Stewardship at Cairns Marine

[1]Cairns Marine collects aquarium specimens from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. These are places of international significance, featuring extraordinary natural beauty and biological diversity.

At Cairns Marine we understand the reponsibility this confers on our company, and our industry, and want to assure the community and other users of the marine environment that our underwater operations adhere to the highest standards of best practice.

Cairns Marine has implemented best practice in the collection of aquarium specimens through a comprehensive operational Code of Conduct developed for the entire aquarium supply sector in Queensland. The Code documents existing practices that have evolved over generations of sustainable collection. Cairns Marine collectors are experienced professionals who pride themselves in their understanding of the reef and its organisms. [2]

Our divers do not collect species of fish that are not suitable for aquariums; and they are careful to collect across the extensive variety of species demanded by the market. The cornerstone of our best practice is low impact, chemical free, hand collecting of all specimens. Our collectors are trained in the use of low impact netting techniques that allow selective capture of target species without disturbance or damage of the reef itself.

[3]Pride and care results in superior quality specimens for our customers. At our facility we continue to apply the highest standards through maintenance of sophisticated holding and handling systems, assuring highest standards of water quality and treatment. In addition, our aquarists receive ongoing professional development opportunities, ensuring our marine specimens are cared for by qualified and impassioned people.

This is just the surface of our commitment to resource stewardship. Our divers spend more time underwater in close contact with the environments of the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea than any other profession. As a result we have an intimate knowledge of the system in which we work. This knowledge is further informed by our close links with the research community.

Cairns Marine divers monitor reef condition, collect data on key species and rotate our collection efforts over time. Our resource stewardship includes site assessments of reefs affected by coral bleaching, severe storms and coastal flooding. This information is used to adapt collection strategies to minimise impact on stressed environments.

[4]Our fisheries are well managed and subject to management input from four government agencies and we are proud to work in collaboration with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to maintain our reefs for future generations. Today we continue to set the benchmark for stewardship of our natural resources in the aquarium collection industry. For example our new stock management system allows us to quantify the effort and impact of our activities using state-of-the-art statistical fisheries management techniques. 

We like to wear our committment to best practice and sustainablility on our sleeve - literally - that's why we created our trademark Tigger Dundee. Our business depends on it. Sustainablity is more than a word its a business imperative.