Seeds for Snapper intern experiences
The OzFish Young Leaders Program is designed to empower young minds with the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to drive innovation and lead recreational fishing towards a sustainable future.
With over 40 students already involved and applications open all year round, the program offers three different position structures to suit students and their individual needs.
At the end of last year, Macarena Diaz joined the Western Australia team as an intern for the 2024 Seeds for Snapper Program – and was an incredible asset to the team’s success contributing to a record one million seeds collected!
Here’s Maca’s recap of her time with OzFish:
The Seeds for Snapper program is a seagrass restoration project that begins around November when the seagrass flourishes and produces fruit.
Thanks to our dedicated diving volunteers, we collect these fruits and place them in tanks that simulate ocean movement, helping the seeds to separate and settle.
The seeds are then collected and dispersed at strategic locations to restore areas where water quality or habitat degradation has impacted seagrass growth.
Since joining the program, I’ve helped in as many ways as possible during this busy season. Early on, I assisted with setting up tanks to prepare for the fruiting period and, by November 4th, we had already started diving due to the early maturation of the fruit.
I participated in two dives per day, sometimes alternating between diving and assisting on the beach.
My tasks on the beach included:
- Cleaning the collected fruit of any debris
- Recording air supply levels and dive times for volunteers
- Transporting tubs of seeds for processing
- Assisting divers in and out of the water
- Cleaning and packing up equipment after the morning sessions
After diving, we move into tank sessions, where we count and process the collected fruit, extract the seeds, and store them safely for later dispersal. One of the most important jobs is tank cleaning, where volunteers remove as many seed peels as possible to maintain water quality and prevent deterioration.
It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m grateful to be part of a program making a real difference in restoring our waterways.
Join the OzFish Young Leaders Program!
Applications are open year-round, with positions available nationwide. If you’re keen to get hands-on experience in habitat restoration, community engagement, and conservation, follow the link below and one of our team members will be in touch!