In December 1988, following criticism in the media of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's
handling of the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) issue, the then Minister for the Arts, Sport, the
Environment, Tourism and Territories, Senator the Honourable Graham Richardson, requested a
review of the Authority's crown-of-thorns starfish research program and policies. The research
program had been recommended to the Authority by the Crown-of-thorns Starfish Advisory
Committee (COTSAC), a body of experts convened by the Authority in 1984 for this purpose.
Funding of $3 million over four years for the program (1985-86 to 1988-89) was provided by the
Federal Government. The program was reviewed annually by another advisory body established by the
Authority, the Crown-of-thorns Starfish Advisory Review Committee (COTSARC). Zann and Moran
(1988), Moran and Johnson (1990) and Lassig (1991) have summarised the structure and results of
this program
