This metadata record provides a brief overview of the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal (MaC) Hub. The record acts as an aggregation point for all NESP Marine and Coastal Hub data collections and projects developed as part of this research program. The National Environmental Science Program (NESP) is a long-term commitment by the Australian Government to environment and climate research. The first phase invested $145 million (2014-15 to 2020-21) into 6 research hubs. The second phase invests $149 million (2020-21 to 2026-27) into 4 new research hubs. The program builds on its predecessors – the National Environmental Research Program (NERP) and the Australian Climate Change Science Programme (ACCSP) – to support decision-makers to understand, manage and conserve Australia’s environment by funding world-class biodiversity and climate science. The Marine and Coastal Hub is a collaborative partnership supported by funding from the Australian Government administered by the Department of Climate Change, the Environment, Energy and Water (DCCEEW) - previously Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE). The current NESP funding program runs from 2021 to 2027. The Marine and Coastal Hub is co-administered by the University of Tasmania (UTAS), and the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC). The Marine and Coastal Hub delivers: • applied research to support management of Australia’s marine and coastal environments including estuaries, coast, reefs, shelf and deep-water • targeted biodiversity and taxonomy products to support efficient system monitoring • environmental monitoring systems and decision-support tools. Research products from the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub are available from https://nespmarinecoastal.edu.au and the Australian Ocean Data Network catalogue (http://catalogue.aodn.org.au)

The Black Rockcod (Epinephelus daemelii) is a large, slow-growing, long-lived reef fish that occurs in Australia along the coast of New South Wales, including at Lord Howe Island. Populations of black rockcod have been significantly reduced here due to overfishing, accidental hooking, and loss or degradation of estuarine and intertidal nursery habitats. As a result, the species is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ under both the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994. Despite having been protected from fishing in NSW since 1983, black rockcod are still taken illegally, or caught incidentally and released, which can lead to mortality post-release from embolism. Its protection status results from concerns of population declines across its range. The NSW Government has identified long-term population monitoring as a a high priority for the species’ recovery plan. Broadscale surveys of black rockcod were first conducted using the diver Underwater Visual Census (UVC) technique in 2009-11 when 83 sites were sampled from Port Stephens to Cook Island in far northern NSW, including the waters of Lord Howe Island. This NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project 3.14 funded the repeat of these broadscale surveys in 2023, with 8 additional sites (91 total) sampled using the same technique. For each black rockcod sighting, the length of the fish was visually estimated by divers, and also filmed using a diver stereo camera system where possible to obtain an exact length measurement. Other attributes recorded included the habitat the fish was found in, if the sighting was cryptic (i.e. hidden or camouflaged), and the depth of the sighting. Based on the broadscale survey sites in 2009-11, a subset of 19 key Black rockcod survey sites along mainland NSW were established These comprised of two sites in the Cape Byron Marine Park (CBMP), five sites in the Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP) two sites at SW Rocks (Fish Rock), and ten sites within the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park (PSGLMP). An additional 18 key sites were established at Lord Howe Island (LHIMP) and surveyed in 2011, 2019, 2023 & 2024. These surveys involved an identical methodology to the broadscale surveys, but without the use of stereo cameras as diver estimates of fish size were shown to be reasonably similar. This NESP MaC Hub project 3.14 provided funding for the resurveying of the 37 total key sites (where weather permitted) in both 2023 and 2024. The data provided by this record includes: (1) all black rockcod sightings and measurements for broadscale sites (2023) and key sites (2023 & 2024); (2) a comparison of the counts of black rockcod recorded at broadscale sites in 2009-11 (n=83) and again in 2023 (n=91); and (3) a comparison of the count of black rockcod recorded at key monitoring sites in northern NSW (n=19) and Lord Howe Island (n=18) across monitoring years 2009-2024.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub scoping study - "Scoping for an Australian Wetland Inventory: identifying knowledge gaps and solutions for mapping Australian marine and coastal wetlands". No data outputs were generated by this project. -------------------- Marine and coastal wetlands provide extensive ecosystem services—protecting shorelines, improving water quality, supporting healthy fisheries, promoting tourism, storing carbon, and holding cultural significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Like many wetlands around the world, Australian wetlands continue to be threatened, degraded, and lost due to climate change, development, and other human activities. To support the Australian Government’s development of a national wetland inventory, this project assessed the current state of coastal wetland mapping across five key areas: seagrass, saltmarsh, intertidal macroalgae, shorebird habitat, and blue carbon. It identified major knowledge and inventory gaps through a combination of literature review and consultation with 73 end-users and experts, resulting in 25 targeted recommendations to guide future mapping and data integration. A summary of the status of mapping habitat attributes and ecosystem services such as blue carbon, coastal protection and shorebird habitat is available in the project's Final Technical Report. This report incudes recommendations to guide investment in high-demand areas and support nationally consistent wetland management and reporting to address key knowledge gaps. Outputs • Report reviewing and synthesising knowledge gaps in inventory mapping of marine and coastal wetlands, identifying effective solutions, and guiding subsequent research projects for enhancing wetland mapping [written]

The offshore renewable energy (ORE) sector is rapidly developing in Australian waters to support national carbon emission targets. However, new marine infrastructure can introduce additional risks to threatened species. The eastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) was identified by the Australian Government as a priority species for assessing potential ORE impacts. This subspecies ranges from the Subtropical Convergence (~40-45°S) to Southeast Asia (~2°S), with much of its documented distribution occurring within Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Its distribution overlaps with multiple anthropogenic activities, indicating likely exposure to existing and emerging pressures. This dataset compiled available spatial information to quantify the full distribution and foraging distribution of pygmy blue whales, and to assess exposure to individual and cumulative threats across the species’ range. The threat exposure analysis incorporated expert elicitation to estimate the probability of exposure arising from spatial overlap between pygmy blue whale distribution and anthropogenic pressures, with particular focus on areas undergoing ORE development. The cumulative exposure assessment indicated relatively low exposure of pygmy blue whales to existing threats within Australian waters, including within declared ORE areas. However, several data and knowledge gaps were identified that should be addressed before further ORE development. The resulting spatial layers provide a baseline for impact assessment by industry and regulators, and support decision-making for sustainable ORE development in Australian waters.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub scoping study - "Research needs for assessment and monitoring of nutrients, chemicals and antimicrobials in the marine environment". No data outputs were generated by this project. -------------------- Coastal water quality is threatened by an increasing volume of chemicals produced and used in our modern lives. These chemicals are commonly incorporated into pharmaceuticals and household items, and subsequently discharged into coastal areas from a broad range of point sources. Recently emerging contaminants include a variety of chemical (e.g. heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, nutrients) and microbiological (e.g. pathogens, antibiotic resistant microbes) sources that are discharged in sewage, stormwater, estuarine flows and industrial wastes. For many of these chemicals, our understanding of their environmental concentrations and biological effects is limited. When new scientific information emerges to suggest that a particular contaminant may be hazardous, this is refered to as a contaminant of emerging concern (CEC). There is limited data about the environmental occurrence and biological effects of CECs, but emerging research suggests they have the capacity to be toxic. With an increasing list of CECs detected in the environment, important questions remain unanswered around which contaminants and scientific knowledge gaps should be prioritised. This desktop study engaged CEC stakeholders from academic research, government, water utilities, and non-government organisations to collaboratively identify priority CEC issues in Australia’s marine ecosystems. The project delivers a risk-based framework for future CEC research directions and water quality management priorities. Outputs • Final Project Report [written]