 by Chris Crossland |
Of immediate concern are changes in procedures and legislation regarding research permits and diving activities. Lobbying by conservation groups and the need to comply with the Workplace Health and Safety Act are causing difficulties for field-based marine science. This is critical in areas that involve manipulative experiments and diving. For most of us these difficulties can be accommodated, although it may take more time and money. However, we can anticipate major problems for graduate students, younger scientists and in some circumstances overseas visitors. These groups must have guarantees that future access to the basic tools of research and marine environments will not be compromised. If we cannot provide such a guarantee then we have no strategic basis for the development of our discipline.
We need to consider the nature of submissions we might make to the development of a marine science and technology plan. What are the areas where unity is mandated, what areas require separate initiatives? To what degree should we seek common goals in the provision of research infrastructure and training? Is there a case for setting priorities for long-term program grants if these are offered by the Australian Research Council? To what extent should we seek uniform standards for diving and experimental research or is there a stronger case for regionalisation?
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ethics and the conduct of marine research. Scientific research in coastal and reef environments is an area in which Australia has attained internationally recognised standards of excellence. This work, involving basic and applied research, has been carried out both by tertiary institutions and government research establishments. It has provided a foundation for training and development of research skills in numerous cohorts of graduate students. Recent funding decisions by government have acknowledged this performance and provided for the establishment of a number of long-term, strategic research initiatives. An important element in these initiatives has been the opportunity to use rigorous research methodologies to resolve applied ecological questions and provide a framework for the predictive management of marine resources.
Field experimentation is an increasingly important aspect of the practice of marine science and of its education and training arm. The frequency of experimentation has increased as marine scientists have sought to improve their capacity to predict events. The scale of experiments has also increased as marine scientists are drawn into management issues. This has included the possibility of designing and executing manipulative experiments over a broader range of spatial and temporal scales than previously possible. Properly designed manipulative and mensurative experiments are now recognised by many managers as an important step in the decision-making process. Much of this has been made possible by the participation and support of the private sector.
This success has generated publicity and a greater awareness of scientific activities in marine research, which has in turn raised a number of questions. Some of these have been critical of both scientists and their procedures. They have focused largely on the ethics of manipulative experimentation and the collection of biological samples. The science community in general and the marine science community in particular needs to examine these issues. Ethics is used here in the sense of the principles of conduct governing a group, in this case marine scientists in execution of professional duties relating to field research.
In shallow water marine habitats experimental manipulations are often difficult to perform due to the substantial spatial and temporal variation which must be accommodated in the design. This is especially true of programs investigating the influence of human activities on biological processes at a number of scales. Opportunities for resolving such issues by manipulative experiments are limited and thus particularly valuable. However, field experimental procedures are now subject to increasing public and administrative scrutiny and demands for justification.
It is ironic that at a time when science and management recognise the need to resolve questions through good scientific practice, opposition to this is developing in the public arena. This opposition is presently focused on sampling and manipulative experiments in shallow tropical waters but will certainly extend to other areas.
Some of the opposition is simply a reaction from the public to scientists enjoying special privileges such as being permitted to take undersized fish. This is a common complaint and is usually resolved by public presentations and workshops. However, over the last year opposition has become more focused, with explicit targeting of sections of the scientific research community. Some conservation groups have formed alliances with political parties and developed this as a major issue both in the Senate and in the media. There is little doubt that the research community is seen as a high profile target.
There are two general categories of objection to research activities by these groups:
At present most criticism of marine research is driven by some conservation groups aided by some sympathetic media contacts. Many conservation groups have been silent on the issue. The reaction of scientists is usually to point out the obvious:
Unfortunately the relevant Ministers and their minders often feel that
the path of least resistance is to assure the public that experimental
manipulations will be curbed rather than explaining the benefits
expected from best-practice research.
To date formal responses to these criticisms has been in the form of media statements by individual scientists, presentations at public meetings for particular interest groups and briefings of Ministers by small groups of scientists. The recent critical media campaigns have resulted in both State and Federal agencies calling for greater scrutiny of research or to set up independent committees to review permit applications for marine research.
In the near future ethical considerations arising from a wide variety of field research procedures are likely to be subject to a formal review. An appropriate agenda for the research community would be to:
Any such preparations must involve terrestrial biologists and those working with endangered species. Terrestrial biologists are dealing with genuinely endangered species and habitats fragmented to the threshold of long-term viability. Studies on some marine mammals and reptiles are also in this category. Any general statement on experimental procedures and ethics must accommodate the need for terrestrial biologists to carry out appropriately designed sampling and experimental programs. It should always be kept in mind that the most appropriate outcome of such a conference is improved communication between the research community, the public and other users of protected areas.
ADDRESS
Post Office James Cook University, Townsville Queensland 4811
Phone: (077) 81 4976 Fax: (077) 81 4099
E-mail: crc.reef@jcu.edu.au
Internet site: CRC Reef
Research Centre Online
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
PO Box 1379 TOWNSVILLE QLD 4810. Phone: (077) 500 700, Fax: (077) 726
093
E-mail:
registry@gbrmpa.gov.au