![Diving underwater to monitor seagrass](/imported-media/9288/diving-seagrass-cockburn-sound-rps.png?width=1440&height=960&quality=90&format=jpg)
Rebecca Watson: an environmental advocate
From working on offshore wind projects to monitoring little penguins, Rebecca has extensive experience working with clients to assess and minimise the impacts of their projects on the marine environment.
Q What does a marine scientist do?
It is amazing the breadth that marine science covers. People think it’s all about talking to dolphins and spending your life on a boat. I also thought that until I started uni, but I quickly discovered there’s a lot more to it!Ìý
I come from a background of working with fish and marine reptiles. At the moment I’m working on offshore wind projects, offshore oil and gas environmental approvals, and closer to home we’ve got a long-term little penguin field study, so there is a lot of variety in my day-to-day work.
Q Why did you want to be a marine scientist?
I was on holiday up in Shark BayÌýin Western Australia (the most westerly point of mainland Australia)Ìýand met some people whoÌýwereÌýamazingly passionate about marine education.ÌýIt was seeingÌýhow theyÌýhelpedÌýpeople to care about the environment through educationÌý-Ìýthat's what made me want to do it.
Quick Q&A
What did you want to do when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a journalist.ÌýBut I was put off by one of my English teachers!ÌýÌý
First job?
My first job was working in marine science education and marine reptile rehabilitation.Ìý
What do you like best about your current job?
I like the variety of projects that I have the opportunity to work on, and my fantastic team.ÌýÌý
Q Tell us a little more about your work in offshore wind.
Often there is little understanding of marine life in a particular place, so when offshore wind developers want to start a project, our team will survey the marine environment to understand what species are living there or are passing through, what the water quality is like, what benthic habitats are there.ÌýÌý
Sometimes there will be previous studies to draw on, other times we’ll be going into largely unknown territory, and we’ll need to undertake long-term, extensive ecological studies to get a full picture of the environment. Then we can assess what will be affected and devise plans to reduce the impacts.Ìý
For example,Ìýsome of our team members were just over in Victoria doing a survey for pelagic fishÌý- fish that live in the middle of the water column, like tuna and kingfish. The study gives us information about what types of fish are living in a specific zone – we study their habitat, how they interact with the area. This allows us to work with a developer to manage their project design so there’s as little impact from the project to the environment as possible.
![Rebecca Watson, °ÄÃÅÐþ»úͼ Senior Marine Scientist, Peth, Western Australia](/imported-media/11805/grow-west-rebecca-watson.jpg?width=800&height=800&quality=100)
“If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it can be infectious. I enjoy getting emails from construction teams telling me about the marine life they’re seeing. It’s great to support others to appreciate and care about the environment in which we live and work.â€
Q Do you like working on large developments?
It’s interesting to work in an emerging industry like offshore wind and to be part of the conversation about bringing renewable resources to Australia.ÌýÌý
If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it can be infectious. I enjoy getting emails from construction teams, telling me about the marine life they’re seeing. It’s great to support others to appreciate and care about the environment in which we live and work.
Q What are some other projects you work on?
I’m fortunate to be working with little penguins on some of the islands south of Perth, monitoring them and their habitat. Some amazing researchers have dedicated their lives to little penguins. It’s been fantastic to learn from them.ÌýÌý
Then there’sÌýseagrass surveys. Understanding trends in the seagrass growth is important as it will allow for informed decisions on the environmental management of the area.
Q What’s been your closest / coolest / most interesting encounter in the marine environment?
I’ve had curiousÌýsea snakesÌýwrap around me while diving, been attacked by territorial clownfish (funny) and triggerfish (not so funny)Ìýand watched a vessel be scuttled to become a wreck dive siteÌý– we followed it down in the water and got to explore as soon it was on the sea floor.Ìý
![Desert meets the sea - an aerial view of ocean and desert sand dune beach, Broome Western Australia](/imported-media/11743/broome-adobestock_323909579.jpeg?width=800&height=800&quality=100)
More ideas and insights from our local team
Discover more from our team or get in touch with Rebecca for support with your next project.Ìý
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Key contacts
![Rebecca Harper, °ÄÃÅÐþ»úͼ Senior Marine Environmental Consultant | Perth, WA, Australia](/imported-media/9292/watson_rebecca_20190418.jpg?width=830&height=533&quality=90)
Rebecca Harper
Senior Marine Scientist