This is the best summary I could come up with:
The red handfish population has dwindled as its sole habitat — two 50 metre stretches of reef in Tasmania’s south-east — faces ongoing degradation.
In a bid to save the species – and uphold the Albanese government’s pledge of no new extinctions — Ms Plibersek has provided a “national interest exemption” under federal environment law to allow scientists to remove up to 25 handfish from its habitat in the coming weeks.
“The intervention to save the red handfish follows intensive discussions involving the Australian and Tasmanian governments and other key stakeholders including Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS),” the minister said in a press release on Saturday.
“Key biological attributes” for red handfish include that they “move by using their hands-like fins to crawl across the bottom” and the “females remain with eggs until hatching”.
Acting Tasmanian Environment Minister Nic Street said the state government would help facilitate the “short-term intervention” by issuing the appropriate permits and approvals.
The Albanese government said it had committed over $300,000 to improving the handfish’s habitat in Frederick Henry Bay, which has experienced seaweed loss due to overgrazing from sea urchins.
The original article contains 415 words, the summary contains 187 words. Saved 55%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
TBH those look like something rather venomous to step on. Like the Stonefish. Are we really sure we want to save them?
I can’t find any reference to them being venomous, though that was a quick search on my part.
I was being facetious based on them looking similar.
Poor wee things.
Truly, only 50 to 100 left is really tragic.