A huge congratulations to CMS Director Prof Gretta Pecl for being inducted into the 2025 Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women, for her service to science, technology; environment.
Professor Pecl AM is an internationally recognised marine ecologist whose work has transformed our understanding of climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.
Her research has influenced environmental policy and strengthened connections between science and the broader community.
“It’s an honour to be recognised among the incredible women on the Tasmanian Women’s Honour Roll, who contribute so much to our community,” Professor Pecl said.
“I’m especially glad to see scientists celebrated, as Tassie is a true powerhouse of research.”
Telstra NATSIAA People’s Choice Award Winner – Dean Greeno for tunapri milaythina muka, to know Sea Country through making
Dean Greeno a truwulway pakana man of lutruwita (Tasmania) has been announced as the Telstra People’s Choice Award winner, in the 2024 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards Telstra (NATSIAA), presented on Larrakia Country by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) in partnership with Telstra.
With the People’s Choice award receiving an impressive total of 1,167 votes, Dean Greeno secured the majority of the People’s Choice votes. The top three artists were rounded out by Thea Anamara Perkins’ mesmerising painting Return and Mardawi Lakun (Sister Weavers) with their incredible weaving Thukabi, meaning turtle in Ngarrindjeri. Mardawi Lakun is a collaboration between Aunty Ellen Trevorrow, Temeika Campbell, Bessie Rigney, Elizabeth Rankine and Margeret Sumner.
Dean’s artwork is a testament to the memories and teachings passed down through his family and his win reflects the ongoing support and appreciation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in Australia.
The 2024 Telstra NATSIAA exhibition was visited by more than 142,000 people during the exhibition period of seven months.
The Telstra NATSIAA is the longest running Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art awards in the country. The Telstra NATSIAA is also proudly the longest running and most prestigious art prize of its kind in Australia.
This year, 72 finalists from across Australia were selected from a total of 230 entries.
Telstra NATSIAA artists share in a total of $190,000 with the prize money for the major Telstra Art Award $100,000 and each of the category awards $15,000.
Quote from Dean Greeno
“Thank you to all the staff, supporters and patrons of the Telstra NATSIAA and MAGNT. I would like to recognise the Larrakia and Larrakia Country. I would like to thank my family, my community and my Country, Sea, Land, and Sky, for building the stoicism, the resilience and fortitude that allowed me to assemble this artwork based on the continued walk of my people to truth telling, treaty and self-determination.
My experience during the Awards will remain with me for the rest of my life. It has been an amazing, immersive and thoroughly rewarding experience as a pakana artist.”
Quote from MAGNT Director Adam Worrall
"Congratulations to Dean Greeno for creating a work that has captured the hearts and minds of our audience. His win reflects his brilliant creativity and stands as a testament to the continuous cultural practices in lutruwita and beyond. Today we celebrate Dean and his achievement, well done!"
For more information, please visit www.natsiaa.com.au.
Congratulations to the 'UQ Indigenous research leadership on climate change and health team' (which includes CMS Director Prof Gretta Pecl), who won the University of Queensland’s 2024 Faculty of Medicine Award for ‘Spirit of Reconciliation’.
A UQ-led team of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and non-Indigenous scholars was commissioned by the Australian Government to prioritise Indigenous voices in climate change and health, particularly for future IPCC reports. After fieldwork on remote Country, the team produced a report shared with the IPCC and launched in Australian Parliament. Their work highlighted the importance of Indigenous knowledge in addressing climate health impacts, contributed to more inclusive climate reports, and strengthened collaboration and culturally appropriate research within the Faculty.
More details are here: https://medicine.uq.edu.au/faculty-medicine-excellence-awards/2024-faculty-medicine-excellence-awards
This work was also supported by DCCEEW.
The CMS held our annual showcase event in Hobart/Nipaluna on 28th October 2024, with over 160 people in attendance from over 40 organisations, ranging from our members and students, to government representatives, industry representatives, researchers, and traditional owners and custodians.
The CMS Showcase 2024 event was structured around a series of panels with researchers, government, industry representatives and traditional owners (i.e. allowing participants to shape discussion and agendas), short presentation sessions from our interdisciplinary researchers (i.e. brief overview of the current/future CMS work and research), as well as interactive workshopping focused on identifying risks, opportunities and critical marine issues for the years ahead. The day created opportunities for open dialogue and Q & A throughout the day, generating fruitful discussions and allow for important networking and collaborative relationships.
Please view the CMS Showcase 2024 Report
Please view the CMS Showcase 2024 Agenda
We would like to thank all who attended, presented, and supported this event, and we can't wait to host our Showcase event again next year!
You can also view the agenda and report from last year here: CMS Showcase 2023: Connections and collaborations to ensure a thriving future ocean
A huge congratulations to Dr Ben Arthur on receiving the Tasmanian STEM Communicator of the Year Award at this year’s Tasmanian STEM Excellence Awards. Ben received this award for “delivering creative STEM storytelling from the classroom to the boardroom to engage people across Australia on a wide range of marine issues”.
Ben became a CMS member earlier this year, and is also member of the Tasmanian Marine Science Engagement and Extension Group that is hosted by CMS.
CMS Director Prof Gretta Pecl (AM) recently had a Q&A session with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), during Seafood Directions 2024 in Tasmania.
Prof Gretta Pecl discusses her career and mentors, as well as topics like climate change, food security, and protecting marine ecosystems. Gretta highlights the need for adaptive marine management and reflects on the emotional challenges of climate work and the hope she draws from younger generations advocating for change.
Check out the interview here:
MSC Blog post: In conversation with Professor Gretta Pecl AM | Marine Stewardship Council (msc.org)
MSC Fresh Catch Newsletter (Oceania): Oceania Fresh Catch Newsletter (mailchi.mp)
MSC video interview: https://youtu.be/DBsuI0fZEwM
CMS Director Prof Gretta Pecl recently received her medal for her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), as part of the King’s Birthday 2024 Honours List.
The Investiture Ceremony was held at the Tasmanian Government House in September 2024, with Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker (AC) awarding the medals.
The BigFish Card Game is a new fun game about sustainable fishing and ocean literacy, and was developed by CMS members Matthew Testoni and Asta Audzijonyte, along with Amy Coghlan. The game is now ready to go public, but needs help to get to off the sediment!
You can view the Big Fish Card Game - Kickstarter page and make a pledge to support this game to get it up and swimming.
In order to keep going they need to reach their stretch goals, which will enable them to take the game to schools and develop a collaborative game version. They are already close to the minimum goal, but there is a lot more that can be achieved! You can ready their inspiring story on the Kickstarter page.
ABC media interview (skip to minute 10): https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/tas-country-hour/tasmanian-country-hour/104346534?utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared
Media interview: https://au.news.yahoo.com/hunt-for-worlds-last-giant-fish-as-researchers-find-clues-in-ancient-photographs-012947944.html
Background:
Big Fish is an exciting new card game where you compete to become Tasmania's #1 fisher. To win you'll have to choose which fish you catch and which you leave behind to make sure your fishing spot stays healthy.
Big Fish is a fun game all about sustainable fishing and ocean literacy. The game is designed be both engrossingly fun and a learning experience. So whether you like catching fish or managing you fishing spot you will love Big Fish.
Big Fish is also run as a NOT FOR PROFIT project, 100% of the money raised goes back into increasing ocean literacy and knowledge on how to fish sustainably. Ways we give back include and are not limited to school outreach, events and public engagement activities, stakeholder engagement, curriculums and don't forget EXPANSIONS of Big Fish that contain even more awesome ocean knowledge!
Congratulations to CMS members Dr Chloe Lucas and Dr Phillipa McCormack on receiving 2025 ARC DECRA (Discovery Early Career Researcher Award)!
CMS also wants to recognise the academics that worked hard on good proposals that were unfortunately not successful – we know how much work and hope goes into these!
Dr Phillipa McCormack was awarded $482,990.
Project Summary: Preparing Australia for a fiery future: Five strategies to guide law reform. Australia does not have the necessary legal frameworks to proactively mitigate bushfire risks. This project aims to support effective, equitable, and timely fire mitigation through law reform. By pioneering holistic assessment of adaptation in state fire laws, and drawing novel insights from international case studies (Canada, Spain and USA) and active stakeholder input, expected outcomes include practical pathways for law reform and new international networks for exchanging knowledge. Outputs to guide more effective implementation of evidence-based legal reform are expected to assist policy makers to enact improved fire prevention, benefitting fire agencies, communities, and ecosystems to thrive in a future increasingly defined by fire.”
Dr Chloe Lucas was awarded $487,736.
Project Summary: Helping Citizens Share Responsibility for Democratic Climate Adaptation. This project will create new tools to help citizens participate in democratic dialogue about climate change adaptation. Climate change impacts the lives of Australians, including through more frequent and intense bushfires, floods, heatwaves, droughts and storms. However, most citizens are not given the opportunity to be involved in government decisions about how to plan for and manage these risks. This project explores games and play-based forms of group deliberation as ways to engage a wide range of citizens in setting agendas for climate adaptation policy and planning. It will identify diverse perspectives and priorities, and start place-based conversations between citizens and governments about how to thrive in a climate-changed world.
See all successful projects here: https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a6-7526aaa184cf/265
Powering Locally Led Inclusive Community Based Conservation, Research and
Sustainable Development Approaches Blue Pacific.
Speaker: Rachel Sapery-James (Senior Manager Blue Pacific, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF))
Recording Date: 25th July 2024
The recording for this webinar is now available here.
Brief Abstract:
Rachel will delve into the transformative ambition of WWF’s Blue Pacific Programs, her leadership to
elevate traditional Indigenous knowledge and inclusive conservation practices. Prioritising local leadership, value systems, and the revitalization of customary governance, ensuring that both People and Nature thrive across the Pacific. The discussion highlights the urgent need to enhance cultural ompetency among staff and practitioners, raising awareness and advocating for the decolonization of erspectives and approaches. By empowering First Nations, local communities to lead and design conservation effort, be active leaders in design architecture of research and development programs, we foster a more collaborative approach and long-lasting solutions. Key themes include: Bridging Western science with traditional wisdom to bolster community climate resilience, Inclusive Ocean Science Academia Training, Community-based fisheries and marine ecosystems management in Melanesia (PNG, Solomon Islands and Fiji). Through policy engagement and respectful meaningful long-term partnerships, we will showcase three case studies demonstrating the successful implementation of these inclusive and community-led initiatives. A climate lens remains central to all our efforts, ensuring sustainability and climate resilience.
Girringun: Nguri - Indigenous rangers tell ancient stories of the Great Barrier Reef | WWF-Australia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2b_e5NOylw
WWF Pacific – WWF Solomon Islands – Western Province Seascape, Scaling Sustainable Sea-grapes - Community Based Management https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBqzHi4jDXE
WWF Pacific – WWF Solomon Islands - A Blueprint for a People and Nature Positive Pacific - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_PZdve3nyI&t=27s
Sea Women Melanesia Papua New Guinea Sea Women of Melanesia 2021 Champion of the Earth - Inspiration and Action - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHx0rrWZmI8&list=PLgo8ocnrcJsuFc-YEZS9-DeSrJpgVIPHH
Bio:
Rachel Sapery-James is a Marine Biologist specializing in Social Environmental Systems and addressing complex challenges affecting both communities and nature. Her work focuses on leveraging Nature Solutions and Indigenous Knowledge to tackle the Climate Crisis, thereby enhancing Community Resilience throughout the Blue Pacific. Rachel earned her MSc from Bremen University’s ZMT in Germany.
She also completed a postgraduate research diploma and post graduate research certificate in sea cucumber aquaculture hatchery and juvenile grow-out techniques at James Cook University. Additionally, Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and Aquaculture from James Cook University in
Townsville.
