Synthesising crown-of-thorns starfish ‘scent’ may aid GBR outbreak management

Crown-of-thorns starfish are harmful to coral reefs, eating large areas each year. Researchers in Australia and Japan created a synthetic “scent” to attract these starfish. This could help gather and remove them efficiently from coral reefs. Current removal methods are difficult and costly. Using this new technology may lead to better management of outbreaks without harming the environment.