This record provides an overview of the scope and research output of NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub Project A11 - "Shark action plan". No datasets were generated by this project. -------------------- Conservation of elasmobranch species (sharks and rays) is an increasing priority globally, including Australia, as evidence of overexploitation of some species becomes apparent. Common issues and threats among elasmobranch species may improve management if considered holistically. This project will produce a Shark Action Plan assessing requirements for improved management including a summary of current status across the taxa, guidelines for reducing impacts and improving management, and identification of key knowledge gaps impeding conservation and management. This Plan will help guide policy for Australian elasmobranchs developed by DoEE and fishery managers. On-ground conservation will be developed from recommendations in this plan. Outputs • Shark Action Plan relevant to management of Australian elasmobranchs including an assessment of current threats, prioritised conservation and management actions for at-risk species and guidance on future management and data needs [written] • Manuscripts for scientific journals outlining the results of project components (eg, Conservation Dependent species framework) [written]

Land features were derived by aggregating and dissolving the boundaries of the 1 degree S57 file (lndare_a layer) series for the Australian continent (+ Lord Howe Island). This represents land the area defined at Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) by the Australian Hydrographic Office. The Great Australian Bight was missing from this series, and was replaced by Geoscience Australia's 1:100k coastline. This data has been made available through the data collation process conducted by the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub Project D3 (Reefs on the Australian Continental Shelf).

This record provides an overview of the scope and research output of NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub Project A12 - "Scoping a seascape approach to managing and recovering Northern Australian threatened and migratory marine species". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Northern Australia is the current focus of substantial economic development, which has the potential to impact biodiversity and cultural values. The Northern Seascape scoping project will assess the status of knowledge of EPBC-listed Threatened and Migratory Marine species, and pressures, Indigenous priorities, habitats, fisheries bycatch, and EPBC referrals in relation to them across the North Marine Bioregion (coast to EEZ edge). The focus will be at the multiple taxa level, including elasmobranchs, shorebirds, turtles and cetaceans. The project will scope research needs and directions for a broad Northern Seascape project (2018–2020), by identifying future research hotspots. Planned Outputs • Maps of Threatened and Migratory Marine species occurrence and habitats, and a gap analysis of research and data needs • Maps of state and trends in pressures and Threatened and Migratory Marine species, and the intersection between them • A report on Indigenous marine research and management priorities for Threatened and Migratory Marine species • Maps and time-series graphs that depict the extent and timing of past changes in coastal habitats that are important for TMM species • Identification of Threatened and Migratory Marine species bycatch and bycatch mitigation research priorities • Identification of EPBC referral spatial and species trends • Data, data visualisation and summaries available online through an appropriate web-based portal and/or existing internal DoEE information products • Project report synthesizing northern Australian Threatened and Migratory Marine species, pressures, Indigenous priorities, coastal habitat change, fisheries bycatch mitigation research priorities, and EPBC referral trends, and the identification of future research hotspots

The state boundary area of the Australia continental shelf (including Lord Howe Island). The coastline is at Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) and the shelf break is defined by the 200 m isobath taken from Geoscience Australia's GA 2009 bathymetric dataset.

Flythrough movie of Gifford Marine Park, which is located 700 km east of Brisbane, Australia. The park is situated about halfway along the Lord Howe Rise seamount chain on the western flank of the Lord Howe Rise. Seamounts along this chain formed from Miocene volcanism via a migrating magma source (“hotspot”) after the opening of the Tasman Sea. Two large, flat-topped volcanic seamounts dominate the park. Their gently sloping summits have accumulated veneers of sediment, which in places have formed fields of bedforms. Steep cliffs, debris and large mass movement scars encircle each seamount, and contrast with the lower gradient abyssal plains from which they rise. Spanning over 3 km of ocean depths, the seamounts are likely to serve multiple and important roles as breeding locations, resting areas, navigational landmarks or supplementary feeding grounds for some cetaceans (e.g. humpback whales, sperm whales). They may also act as important aggregation points for other highly migratory pelagic species. The bathymetry shown here was collected on two surveys - the first in 2007 by Geoscience Australia and the second in 2017 by Geoscience Australia in collaboration with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. The Gifford Marine Park has also been the focus of a study undertaken by the Marine Biodiversity Hub as part of the National Environmental Science Program. This research is supported by the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub through Project D1.

This dataset relates to statistical models of killer whale (Orcinus orca) occurrence in the Bremer Sub-Basin developed from vessel-based and aerial survey data collected between 2015 and 2017. Further information can be found in: Salgado-Kent C, Parnum I, Wellard R, Erbe C, Fouda L. 2017. Habitat preferences and distribution of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Bremer Sub-Basin, Australia. Report to the National Environmental Science Programme Marine Biodiversity Hub (CMST 2017-15), 37 p.

Bathymetry flythrough of Perth Canyon using data acquired by Schmidt Ocean Institute in 2015 on RV Falkor (University of Western Australia et al.). The flythrough highlights geomorphic features mapped by Geoscience Australia, including landslides, escarpments and bedform fields and biodiversity associated with the canyon (benthic and pelagic). Produced as a science communication product for the Marine Biodiversity Hub (National Environmental Science Program). This research is supported by the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub through Project D1.