Darwin marine labs get an upgrade

The Australian government has allocated more than $5 million to upgrade laboratories and equipment at a national marine research centre in Darwin.

The Arafura Timor Research Facility, a joint venture between the Australian National University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, was established almost a decade ago to conduct world-class research on Northern Australia’s marine and coastal ecosystems.

The facility also assesses the extent of marine pollution and illegal fishing in the region, including the impact on Australia’s northern fisheries, coral reef ecology and marine biodiversity. Other research includes mitigating the deadly impact of abandoned fishing nets–known as ghost net–on sea turtle populations as well as effects of marine pollution on sawfish and coastal sharks.