IMAS Metadata Catalogue
2023
Type of resources
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Years
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Aquatic flora surveys of the Hardy Inlet were conducted from the top of Molloy Island and the Scott River Basin to the mouth of the Inlet. Surveys were initially conducted in 2008 by Murdoch University’s Marine and Freshwater Research Laboratory (MAFRL) and forms part of the 2013 report "Synthesis of seagrass mapping studies" conducted by the Water Science Branch of the Department of Water. This data was acquired by the ACEAS Seagrass Group as part of the 2013 Australia-wide risk assessment of Seagrass. Surveys were conducted again in 2018, 2020 & 2023 by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation as "Hardy Inlet Seagrass Survey". The datasets making up the 2008 Hardy Inlet seagrass survey data are: WA_MAFRL_Hardy_seagrass_polygons - polygon dataset showing interpolated percentage cover of Ruppia spp. This record provides access to the initial MAFRL surveys. See associated DWER records in Data WA catalogue for access to newer surveys at this site.
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Distribution and abundance of seagrass, mangrove and saltmarsh in NSW estuaries. This dataset is ongoing. This record describes a snapshot of the data taken in February 2023 for use in the Seamap Australia project. A more recent version of the dataset may be available through the NSW DPI Fisheries Data Portal. This dataset supersedes https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/281FAA64-F6F3-400C-A48F-D342E4ABCA83 (Estuarine macrophytes of NSW 2009) and https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/021f65eb-38c6-4db2-9dbe-821b6b427780 (An Estuarine Inventory for NSW 1984).
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This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project "Mapping critical Australian sea lion habitat to assess ecological value and risks to population recovery". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Populations of the endangered Australian sea lion have declined by >60% over the last 40 years. There is a marked uneven distribution in abundance and trends across the species range, suggesting that localised risk profiles from threats vary at small spatial scales. Fine scale differences in habitat use are thought to underpin these differences, yet knowledge about the species dependency on key habitats and their vulnerability to human impacts is limited. This project deployed underwater cameras onto sea lions to identify and map their critical habitats, assess their ecological value and identify risks to populations. Tagging took place at three sea lion colonies adjacent to Commonwealth and state marine reserves off South Australia including Olive and Pearson Islands (Western Eyre Marine Park) and Seal Bay (Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park). Results from this study improve our understanding of threats to sea lion populations and support future conservation actions to recover the species. Outputs • Tracking data from sea lion-deployed tags: location, depth, time, temperature, light, acceleration [dataset] • Timestamped video footage from sea lion-deployed cameras [dataset] • Final project report [written]
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The Statewide Marine Habitat Map 2023 was developed by DEECA applying novel machine learning methods that model and predict habitat distributions as well as a mosaic of former mapping products (listed below). The Statewide map represents 24 marine and coastal habitats complexes at Level 3, Victoria's Combined Biotope Classification Scheme (CBiCS) described by Edmunds and Flynn (2015, 2018; 2021). The final map comprises of 83% its area from predictive modelling, with the remaining 17% of area from synthesised existing habitat maps. Predictive Model: A total of 32,998 habitat survey sites (ground-truth records) were used within the model, along with 28 environmental properties mapped at a 10m resolution (including a Digital Elevation Model DEM (VCDEM2021), computed benthic terrain characteristics (toolkit: Walbridge et al. 2018), Chlorophyl a (IMOS 2000a), Sea Surface Temperature SST (IMOS 2000a), Net Primary Productivity NPP (IMOS 2000b), Sediments (Geoscience Australia; Li et al. 2011a,b,c), waves (Liu et al. 2022). To predict the distribution of habitats across Victorian waters the powerful and flexible Random Forest machine learning algorithm was applied. Random Forest is an ensemble model using bagging as the ensemble method and decision trees as the individual model (Breiman 2001). The modelling produced an accuracy (Out-of-bag) of 89%. Map Synthesis: A mosaic of former mapping products that provided higher resolution mapping by aerial imagery, field observations and high-resolution modelling were integrated into the map, classifying habitat according to the CBICS habitat classification scheme at level 3. Assessed and synthesised maps and citations include: Corangamite Coast Marine Habitat December 2009 (ANZVI0803005530); East Gippsland Marine Habitats November 2009 (ANZVI0803003974); Discovery Bay Marine National Park habitat mapping 2006 (ANZVI0803004053); Portland Coastal Habitats (ANZVI0803004236) ; Corner Inlet Mapping Marine National Park North and South 2004 (ANZVI0803004051) ; Merri Marine Sanctuary 2004 (ANZVI0803004058); Western Port Bay Biotope Mapping Fathom Pacific (2016) CBiCS-Mapping. Central Victoria Coastal Habitats (ANZVI0803004135); Mallacoota Coastal Habitats (ANZVI0803004235); Western Port Rhodolite (ANZVI0803005430) & Western Port Biogenic Reefs; Port Phillip Bay Habitat Map 2021 (ANZVI0803009278); Saltmarsh and Mangrove Habitats; DELWP 2021 Statewide Marine Habitat Map 2021 (ANZVI0803009286) and relevant citations: Ball (1999), Ball et al. (2010). Ball & Blake (2007a), Ball & Blake (2007b), Blake and Ball (2001), Blake et al. (2013), Boon et al. (2011), Cohen et al (2000), Deakin Marine Mapping (Zavalas, R et al. 2018), DELWP (1994), Edmunds &Flynn (2015), Fathom Pacific (2020), Ford et al (2016), GeoHab Victoria Estuaries Geomorphology (2010), Ierodiaconou 2007, Ierodiaconou et al. 2018, Mazor et al. (2021), Monk et al. (2011), Poore (1992), Roob and Ball (1997), Victoria Department of Transport (1999), Young et al. 2022, Zavalas, R et al. 2018. Applications: The Statewide Marine Habitat Map 2023 provides broad habitat complexes across the state and provides greater knowledge of the ecological diversity across Victoria¿s waters. The map should be used at broad scales of >25 m, and where information of larger habitat complexes is needed. This work can support the management of large-scale habitats, their condition, marine spatial planning, strategic management prospect (SMP), FeAST risk assessments, and other broad scale applications to support management decisions across Victoria. The habitat model and resulting map provides an updated broad-scale habitat map across Victoria¿s state waters and provides a baseline for future data to build upon.
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There is an ongoing need for a national index of bathymetry survey coverage in Australian waters. The Marine National Facility (MNF) is Australia's dedicated blue-water research facility, and collects the largest body of publicly-accessible multibeam bathymetry (MBES) data in Australian waters. MNF survey data is routinely published in a raw (unprocessed) form shortly following MNF survey completion by CSIRO's Geophysical Survey and Mapping (GSM) group (https://www.cmar.csiro.au/data/gsm/). Geoscience Australia's AusSeabed initiative (https://ausseabed.gov.au/) works with CSIRO to make MNF MBES data available as maps and for download in gridded format at resolutions specified by the Australian Multibeam Guidelines (https://www.ausseabed.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/95887/Multibeam-Guidelines_v2.pdf). Once gridded MBES data is published, its survey coverage (spatial footprint) is collated into nationally aggregated bathymetry acquisitions maps (e.g. see https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/bfaac2bc-0c11-4991-b0fa-2a1dc7fd6e61). This spatial resource is important for research, marine managers, industry, and environmental impact assessment sectors as it provides an overview of the state of research knowledge of the physical seafloor environment in key areas of interest within Australia's vast marine estate. There is a considerable lag between MBES data being made available in L2 specialist format (typically ASCII XYZ), and being processed into a gridded format (e.g. GeoTIFF) following the Australian Multibeam Guidelines resolution specifications. This leaves some uncertainty about the location and coverage of more recently collected MBES data that has yet to be processed and publicly released in a gridded format. This dataset is a compilation of MNF voyage tracks (available through the CSIRO data trawler: https://www.cmar.csiro.au/data/trawler/) from the last 5 calendar years. The dataset will be periodically updated to reflect new voyage tracks; and to remove voyage tracks >5 years old. See 'Last Update' timestamp for an indication of currency. This record will be unpublished at such time that an automated process is developed to update national bathymetry survey coverage databases.
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Aquatic flora surveys were conducted in the Leschenault Estuary in April 2009. This data is part of the 2013 report "Synthesis of seagrass mapping studies" conducted by the Water Science Branch of the Department of Water. Surveys were initially conducted by the WA Department of Water together with Geoscience Australia. The objective of these surveys was to collect baseline data on seagrass composition and distribution in key estuaries of southern and south-western WA. This data was acquired by the ACEAS Seagrass Group as part of the 2013 Australia-wide risk assessment of Seagrass. Surveys were conducted again 2015-2023 (February 2015, February and March 2016, February 2017, February and March 2018, February 2019, February and March 2020, February 2021, February and March 2022, and February and March 2023) by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation as "Leschenault Estuary Seagrass Survey". The datasets making up the 2009 Leschenault Estuary seagrass survey data are: WA_Leschenault_SAV_sites - point dataset of species presence/absence and survey methodology at each site. WA_Leschenault_SAV_polygons - polygon dataset showing interpolated percentage cover in polygons derived from site points. This record provides access to the initial WA DoW surveys. See associated DWER records in Data WA catalogue for access to newer surveys at this site.
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Repeat surveys of aquatic flora were conducted in Oyster Harbour in 1988, 1996 and 2006. This data is part of the 2013 report "Synthesis of seagrass mapping studies" conducted by the Water Science Branch of the Department of Water. Surveys were initially conducted by the WA Department of Water. The objectives of the study were to map the distribution of the different seagrass species found in Princess Royal Harbour and Oyster Harbour and to compare the distributions with that observed in previous studies (1988 and 1996). This data was acquired by the ACEAS Seagrass Group as part of the 2013 Australia-wide risk assessment of Seagrass. Surveys were conducted again in March 2019 and January 2021 by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation as "Oyster Harbour Seagrass Survey". The datasets making up the 1988-2006 Oyster Harbour seagrass survey data are: WA_Oyster_seagrass_polygons - polygon dataset showing interpolated percentage cover of seagrass (all species combined for 1988 & 1997 surveys, with species information for 2006 survey). This record provides access to the initial WA DoW surveys. See associated DWER records in Data WA catalogue for access to newer surveys at this site.
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This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2023 project "Eastern Grey Nurse Shark population abundance and trend". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Australia’s eastern grey nurse shark population is listed as Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Recovery Plan for the Grey Nurse Shark identifies research and actions needed to improve the shark’s population status and ensure its long-term conservation. This project refines the abundance and trend estimate for the eastern Australian population of grey nurse shark and examined the shark’s expansion range into Victorian waters (evidence suggests the shark may now range as far west as Wilsons Promontory). The project builds upon previous research which has estimated the eastern grey nurse shark adult population at ~2,000 individuals. Epigenetic techniques are used estimate age of juveniles (based on patterns of DNA methylation), and stereo video analysis is used to obtain precise length measurements for use against growth curves. Understanding the species' population structure is important to inform the assessment of current conservation arrangements such as spatial closures. Findings will provide a more precise estimate of the abundance of Australia’s eastern grey nurse shark population, and reduce uncertainty surrounding trends in abundance by building a stronger evidence base for decision-making around the species’ recovery and conservation. Outputs • Tissue samples and extracted products from juvenile grey nurse sharks [dataset] • Final project report [written]
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This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2023 project 3.7 – Identifying and overcoming barriers to coastal and marine habitat restoration and Nature based Solutions in Australia. All outputs of this project are written (i.e. no data outputs). -------------------- There is an increasing need for and investment in coastal and marine restoration around Australia to help manage habitat and biodiversity loss, water quality, coastal inundation and erosion, and blue carbon assets. These projects are undertaken by a range of Commonwealth, state and local government agencies, NGOs, and community groups, and range across different habitat types and scale. However, a number of barriers currently preclude widespread uptake and implementation of habitat restoration and nature-based solutions (NbS) in Australia, which centre on: 1) policy and legislative barriers; 2) engineering adoption of NbS; and 3) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inclusion and co-design. Overcoming barriers to marine and coastal restoration, and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) adoption is critical to safeguarding Australia’s marine estate. We focus this research on three thematic areas that represent roadblocks and opportunities for more inclusion in implementing and scaling-up restoration and NbS: 1. Engaging policy and permitting regulators to identify and breakdown barriers for marine and coastal habitat restoration; 2. Understanding and up-take of NbS by the engineering sector; and 3. Inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in restoration and NbS This research was conducted through in person and virtual workshops, with the outcome being advancement of effective approaches to overcome these challenges. Outputs • Identifying and overcoming barriers to marine and coastal habitat restoration and nature-based solutions in Australia [project summary - written] • A blueprint for overcoming barriers to the use of nature-based coastal protection in Australia [written] • Legislative permitting processes for restoration [written] • Pathways to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inclusion and co-design in restoration [written]
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This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project "Improving knowledge transfer to support Australian Marine Park decision making and management effectiveness evaluation". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- In the last decade Australia’s researchers have made significant progress to provide managers with data and data products to inform the planning and establishment of Australian Marine Parks (AMPs). However, further work is required to adequately meet the data product requirements for assessing AMP management effectiveness. This project addresses this problem by: 1) Identifying priority data and data products to support characterisation of marine systems and reporting on AMP monitoring priorities; 2) Assessing availability and delivery mechanisms of high priority data and data products and whether they are fit for purpose; and 3) Estimating condition of park values (excluding cultural values) and assessing management effectiveness with available data/knowledge. This project advances the Hub’s Protected Place Management Initiative and contributes to the national need for improving access to data and expanding the Australian Ocean Data Network. Outputs • Documented data and data product priorities organised in one or more data product hierarchies including monitoring priorities and their indicators where appropriate [written] • A fit for purpose assessment of priority data products [written] • Methods for estimating current condition status of AMP values [written] • Recommendations for how to progress priority data sets that do not currently meet the established criteria but are required for characterising, protecting, and assessing current condition status of AMP values [written] • Final project report [written] • Ad-hoc data products generated through this project's data fitness-for-purpose exercise - see linked 'child' records