BDBSA Project Metadata Detail

Survey/Project Number: 922          Total No. of Sites: 0
Survey/Project Name: Reef biodiversity surveys for Marine Protection Authority - Uni of Tasmania
Abstract: This project is collation of data from several reef biodiversity surveys for Marine Protected Area (MPA) baseline monitoring and NRM studies by University of Tasmania. While the current focus of MPA planning and implementation is the conservation of biodiversity, MPAs potentially provide a wide range of important functions. These include: 1. acting as baseline reference areas for assessing the success of current conservation and fisheries management strategies in coastal ecosystems 2. assisting fisheries management through protection of spawner biomass, conservation of critical habitats 3. acting as research areas, including for studies not possible elsewhere. In order to properly determine whether changes observed within MPAs are the result of protection rather than natural variation in space and time, scientifically-credible baseline surveys within and adjacent to proposed MPAs are needed prior to protection from fishing, with subsequent surveys at biologically-meaningful time intervals This project, coordinated by the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, has so far involved baseline and MPA surveys in: Jervis Bay (NSW), Wilsons Promontory (Vic), Port Phillip Heads (Vic), Investigator Strait (SA), Jurien Bay (WA), Maria Island (Tas), Tinderbox (Tas), Kent Group (Tas), Port Davey (Tas), Bicheno (Tas) and Ninepin Point (Tas). All surveys have involved fished reference sites and used similar methodology, allowing direct comparison of results between differing locations, designs and management strategies.
 
Start Date: 01/01/2004      End Date: 01/01/2020
Survey Type: Fauna only
   
Study Area Description: Coastal areas of whole Australia
Objectives
         Vegetation: *** No vegetation survey objectives recorded
         Fauna: Refer to Abstract.
Methodology
         Vegetation: *** No vegetation methodology recorded
         Fauna: The MPA baseline monitoring method involves underwater visual census of densities of fishes, invertebrates and plants along 200m transects. The 200 m transect distance is subdivided into four contiguous 50 m long blocks, each of which is 10 m wide in censuses for mobile fishes, 1 m wide for censuses of mobile macro-invertebrates and cryptic fishes, and comprised five positions set at 10 m intervals for plants and sessile invertebrates.

Data Distribution Rules: Sensitive Dataset: Written permission required from Information Authority
Project Basis: Fauna : Fauna species/population Study (ie trapping records over time period for species study). NOTE:NON Std Svy methodology may have been used.
Information Authority: Department for Environment and Heritage - Coastal Management Branch
Consultant
University of Tasmania