In collaboration with the Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research at Edith Cowan University, the Southwest Whale Ecology Study (SouWEST) has compiled a 30-year library of southern right whale photos from Geographe and Flinders Bays (WA) that identified individual whales and tracked their histories.

As a result of this work, we have recommended that Geographe Bay be recognised by the Commonwealth Government as a “Biologically Important Area” for Endangered Southern Right Whales that use it to reproduce, rest and migrate. This is important information for the draft National Recovery Plan for the Southern Right Whale, which is available for public comment until 21 April 2023 here: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/…/draft-recovery-plan…

See our infographic for a summary of this National Environmental Science Program (NESP) funded project. The full report is available on the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub website: https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/project-1-22-final…/

A huge thank you to all contributors, citizen scientists, and funders who helped to make this project a reality.