Media release – Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), 13 August 2024
New arrival: baby Maugean skate hatches from captive-laid egg in a world first for the endangered species
For the first time ever, a baby Maugean skate has hatched from an egg laid in captivity – and scientists are looking forward to more arrivals soon.
It’s an exciting time for marine ecologists at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), who have been working around the clock since an adult female skate was brought into captivity in December last year, and laid her first egg shortly after.
The program was established for this ancient and endangered species in response to significant declines in the Maugean skate population in Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania – their last known habitat.
“We’ve been trialling captive holding and rearing methods for two years with other skate species, so successfully producing our first hatchling from a captive-laid egg for this very unique skate is really something to celebrate – and it’s a significant step towards conserving the species,” said IMAS researcher, Professor Jayson Semmens, who leads the IMAS Maugean skate captive breeding program.
“The eggs take around seven months to develop, with the first healthy female skate hatchling arriving on the 10th of July. The adult female has been laying eggs since her arrival last December – two at a time, every four days on average – and has produced over 100 eggs to date. So we’re preparing for more hatchlings to make their appearance any time now,” he said.
Hatching plans to conserve a species
The IMAS team also brought 50 wild-laid eggs into captivity in December, with over half of those viable and producing healthy hatchlings, but captive egg laying is another way to rapidly increase the numbers of animals in captivity. This successful result brings researchers one step closer to using captive techniques to bolster the wild population.
“Since December, the program has evolved quickly from simply knowing if we can safely hold skate and their eggs, to confirming that not only can this be done, but captive females can rapidly contribute to the number of eggs in captivity – and the embryos can develop into viable hatchlings,” said IMAS researcher, Dr David Moreno.
“We also have a captive male, but interestingly it is not the father of the new hatchling. Instead, the female is fertilising her eggs with sperm she’s stored from previously mating in Macquarie Harbour, so this sperm could come from several males.
“We know this is the case, because we were keen not to disturb the female while she was laying, so we kept the captive male in a separate tank until about two weeks ago,” Dr Moreno said.
“But with so many eggs being laid by this one female, we’ve now put the two animals together and we’re happy to see it hasn’t stopped the female from laying eggs. Now we’re witnessing some courtship behaviour, so we’re hoping the male and female will mate soon.”
Captive breeding and beyond…
In earlier captive breeding trials, scientists used artificial insemination on other skate species, which is another way fertilisation could be achieved for this species. However, the success of both the wild and now captive-laid eggs developing into hatchlings means the program is not solely reliant on captive breeding.
“The next stage is to understand the genetic identity of the Maugean skates we have in captivity and examine how this compares with genetic diversity in the wild population,” Professor Semmens said. “This will help us determine which animals to retain as founders for a captive population, and which animals could eventually be released.
“Genetic sequencing information is crucial for managing a captive population and to achieve our ultimate goal – ensuring the continued existence of the species.”
IMAS Fisheries & Aquaculture Centre Head, Professor Sean Tracey, said hatching the first baby skates from a captive-laid egg is an exciting outcome for the Institute.
“The success rate is beyond expectations, both in hatching and growth. And we have a low mortality rate of less than 8%, which is also a positive outcome as we didn’t know how the skate would respond to being held in our experimental animal holding facilities,” Professor Tracey said.
“The arrival of this hatchling is also well-timed, with our multi-million-dollar expansion of the IMAS Taroona site recently commencing. Not only will we see our captive bred animals grow as our facilities grow, but the new labs will allow us to conduct state of the art research to enhance our captive breeding program,” he said.
“Renovations to the existing captive skate breeding space at Taroona are being accelerated so animals in captivity can be held across multiple independent recirculating systems. This will ensure the juveniles can continue to grow safely, and enhance our animal husbandry methods for the species – a win for endangered marine species conservation, led by Tasmanian scientists.”
The IMAS captive breeding program is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species and Natural Heritage Trust Programs, through the Cradle Coast Authority, and funding from the Tasmanian Government’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas). Renovations to the existing IMAS captive breeding facilities are directly funded by NRE Tas.
Featured image above of Maugean skate hatchling courtesy Jayson Semmens. Below, eggs laid in captivity.
Media release – Nick Duigan, Minister for Parks and Environment, 13 August 2024
First baby Maugean skate hatches in captivity
In a world first for the captive Maugean skate breeding program, a baby Maugean skate has been hatched from eggs laid in captivity right here in Tasmania.
Minister for Parks and Environment, Nick Duigan, said the exciting development occurred at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies facility at Taroona.
“The juvenile skate hatched from an egg laid by a female skate collected from Macquarie Harbour in December last year,” Minister Duigan said.
“This represents an important milestone towards the development of a captive breeding program, established as one of a range of measures to protect the endangered Maugean skate.”
In addition to taking a lead on developing a captive program, IMAS is also undertaking monitoring and extensive research to help conserve this unique species with funding from the Australian Government and $4 million from the Tasmanian Government.
“This includes funding for important monitoring and research as well as substantial contributions for the captive breeding techniques,” Minister Duigan said.
“The Tasmanian Government is the strongest supporter of our world class salmon industry and we recognise the significant economic contribution aquaculture makes to our economy.
“Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future backs our world-class salmon industry and the thousands of jobs it underpins in our regions which is why we are investing in a range of actions to improve management of the Macquarie Habour ecosystem, while reducing threats to the Maugean skate.
“It is encouraging to see this positive progress towards a captive breeding program, demonstrating that the work being undertaken by IMAS is working.
“The captive breeding program’s early success and the great research which surrounds it, further adds to the protection of this important species now and into the future.”
Captive breeding is one of more than 35 actions detailed in the Tasmanian Government’s Conservation Action Plan for the Maugean skate and overseen by the National Recovery Team.
Media release – Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Tasmanian Greens, 13 August 2024
Maugean skate needs habitat as well as ‘hope’
The Greens have welcomed news of the first captively-bred Maugean skate, but reiterated governments must do more to protect the skate in its last remaining habitat, which is being polluted by industrial salmon farming.
Quotes attributable to Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans & senator for lutruwita/Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson:
“This is heartening news for scientists who’ve worked hard to ensure the Maugean skate avoids imminent extinction, but captive-bred skate still need a healthy home to return to, and sadly their last remaining habitat is being destroyed by a polluting salmon farming industry.
“Business as usual is not an option. We can’t continue to remove the ancient skate from its only known home while ongoing industrial farming of a toxic introduced species threatens its very existence.
“It’s been almost 200 days since the Environment Minister was forced to review the Federal Government’s 2012 decision to permit an expansion of fish farming operations in Macquarie Harbour – what is the Minister waiting for? No amount of captively-bred skate will change the threat salmon farming presents to the skate’s only natural home.
“The Maugean skate needs habitat as well as ‘hope’. The Federal Government’s own scientific advice clearly states the key threat to the skate’s survival is poor water quality in Macquarie Harbour, and that the primary cause of this is Atlantic salmon farming.
“The best way to give the skate a fighting chance of survival is to remove toxic industrial salmon farming from the skate’s natural environment – it’s that simple.”
Media release – James Watts, Save the Skate Campaigner, Environment Tasmania, 13 August 2024
CAPTIVE BABY MAUGEAN SKATE NEEDS A HEALTHY HARBOUR FREE FROM SALMON
“Environment Tasmania welcomes the encouraging news and remarkable achievement that IMAS scientists have successfully hatched baby Maugean skates from an egg laid in captivity.”
“However, we stress that the captive breeding program cannot work in isolation. The fact remains that these captive skates will need a healthy Macquarie Harbour to return to. “
“Once again, we implore the Federal Environment Minister to follow the conservation advice that calls for the removal of salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour to safeguard the Maugean skate from extinction.”
Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 13 August 2024
Tanya Plibersek is the Minister for the Environment, not the Minister for Zoos
Today, Minister Plibersek has announced the successful hatching of a Maugean skate egg in what was dubbed a “world first.”
Industrial salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour have pushed the Maugean skate to the edge of extinction in their natural habitat, forcing a last-minute captive breeding program.
The announcement comes as a decision to revoke a 2012 approval for salmon farming, due to its catastrophic impact on the Maugean skate , sits on Minister Plibersek’s desk.
“The only ‘world first’ that Minister Plibersek should be concerned about is that a shark or ray has been driven to extinction in the wild due to salmon aquaculture. That’s the ‘world first’ that Australia will be known for, if the minister allows that to occur,” said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.
“The only reason that a Maugean skate egg is even hatching in captivity is because both the Australian and Tasmanian Governments have allowed huge, industrialised salmon farms to destroy the skate’s only known habitat, pushing the species to the brink of extinction.”
“The minister says that the battle to save the Maugean skate is by no means won. Well, she could end the struggle right now by listening to her own department’s advice that salmon farming has a catastrophic impact on the Maugean skate and should have been removed from the harbour last summer.”
“The minister can, and should, revoke the appalling 2012 decision to allow salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, a decision that the minister knows full well was a bad one. The science is telling us that fish farms must be removed from Macquarie Harbour. It’s been over 200 days since our foundation and others initiated a review into the destructive industry under the EPBC Act. It’s time for the Environment Minister to fulfil her obligation to get fish farms out of Macquarie Harbour,” said Alistair Allan.