This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Assessing the vulnerability of southern right whale and blue whale populations to disturbance from windfarm developments". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Offshore renewable energy (ORE) development is expanding in Australian waters. This includes regions that overlap with feeding and breeding areas for Endangered blue whales and southern right whales. Underwater noise from construction and operation of offshore wind infrastructure may affect whale behaviour, energetics and reproduction, requiring assessment of potential population-level consequences under the EPBC Act. This desktop study used available data and expert elicitation to develop interim Population Consequences of Disturbance (iPCoD) models for blue whales and southern right whales in relation to one or multiple offshore wind developments off Portland and Gippsland, Victoria. The modelling followed a decision pathway that considered spatial and temporal overlap with whale populations, the proportion of populations affected, life stages and reproductive phases exposed, and the likelihood of repeated disturbance. The models were used to assess the timing, location and potential cumulative effects of underwater noise at a regional scale. Outputs identified high-risk species and scenarios, priority data gaps, research needs, and mitigation requirements needed to reduce the likelihood of compromised population viability. The iPCoD framework can be updated as new data become available and integrated with other modelling approaches. The framework is relevant for risk assessment against other ocean-based activities such as seismic surveys oil and gas infrastructure, and carbon capture and storage. The project outputs support offshore wind assessment and regulation, species recovery planning, and development of underwater noise guidance. Outputs • iPCoD model outputs [dataset] • Final Project Report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Environmental concentrations of emerging contaminants in coastal stormwater". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are natural and synthetic chemicals associated with pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial products, household items and microplastics that can affect environmental and human health. Australian wastewater and coastal water quality strategies have identified the need to better understand the concentrations, distribution and ecological impacts of these contaminants in marine environments, particularly in relation to wastewater discharges and stormwater inputs. This project extended NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 2.4 (https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/project/2-4) that investigated CECs in Australian coastal waters, by increasing the spatial and temporal resolution of sampling around wastewater outfalls and stormwater systems. Sampling focused on Gamay (NSW) and Glenelg (South Australia), enabling comparison between wastewater treatment plant effluent and coastal stormwater inputs across different seasons and environmental conditions. Field programs collected water and sediment samples to quantify contaminants including pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, PFAS, metals and microplastics. Associated environmental variables were also measured. Ecogenomic approaches were used to assess microbial assemblages and antimicrobial resistance to examine the potential ecological impacts of contaminant exposure. The project also incorporated targeted stormwater sampling associated with major flooding following Tropical Cyclone Alfred in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales, providing a rare time-series dataset on contaminant mobilisation during extreme rainfall events. The project maintained and expanded the National Outfall Database (https://nod.org.au) through continued collection, collation and reporting of wastewater treatment plant discharge data, including outfall flows, pollutant loads and associated infrastructure information. Project outputs improve the evidence base needed to inform contaminant guideline development, wastewater and stormwater management. This includes coastal marine park and Ramsar wetland management, and future assessment of ecological risks associated with contaminants of emerging concern. Outputs • Updates to the National Outfall Database for 2022/23, including proposed new attributes for collection [dataset] • Data from Gamay (Botany Bay) NSW including (1) contaminant levels in water and sediments (2) physico-chemical data; (3) microbial community and genetics composition of water and sediments [dataset] • Timeseries (seasonal) CEC data from wastewater effluent at Glenelg beach area (SA) [dataset] • [Possible] High-resolution temporal CEC data from a stormwater event in St Vincents Gulf [dataset] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Unbroken whispers: the ripples connecting sea kin". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Whales and dolphins are culturally significant species for many Aboriginal nations, particularly in south-eastern Australia, with relationships expressed through song, dance, rock art, stories and contemporary artworks. Indigenous ecological knowledge can provide important understanding of species relationships, migration, ecological change and responsibilities to Sea Country, but has not traditionally been considered in the protection and recovery of EPBC-listed threatened and migratory whales and dolphins. This Indigenous-led project will identify, document and share, where culturally appropriate, Indigenous knowledge and cultural connections relating to southern right whales, humpback whales, orca and dolphins. The project will explore relationships between land, sea and sky, and cultural responsibilities connected to kinship, species recovery and Sea Country governance. Project activities will include establishment of an Indigenous Cultural Connections Reference Group to provide cultural and spiritual leadership; a desktop review of anthropological records, oral histories and language; and co-designed on-Country gatherings following the annual whale migration pathway from K’gari to Lunawanna-allonah and Encounter Bay. Gatherings will include yarning circles, artistic workshops and on-Country learning. Outputs will include culturally appropriate knowledge-sharing products such as artworks, written stories, images, video and a technical report. The project will support Indigenous communities and organisations to strengthen cultural governance of Sea Country, share intergenerational knowledge, and identify opportunities for Indigenous knowledge to inform policy, recovery planning and conservation management for threatened and migratory whales and dolphins. Outputs • Short project videos • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Delivery of science to support the implementation of a marine park management effectiveness system". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Australian Marine Parks (AMPs) form one of the world’s largest marine park systems, protecting natural, cultural, social and economic values across Commonwealth waters. Parks Australia’s Management Effectiveness system supports adaptive management by assessing whether management arrangements are protecting park values and responding to changing pressures. This project supported implementation of the Australian Marine Parks Science Plan and delivered key science needs for the 2028 National AMP management plan review. It built on previous Marine Biodiversity Hub and Marine and Coastal Hub work on natural values, pressures, cumulative impacts, monitoring priorities and management effectiveness. The project delivered four linked outputs: 1) Monitoring protocols for Tier 1 and Tier 2 priority monitoring sites, including site-specific monitoring plans, data and survey method inventories, condition indicators, pressure indicators, and partnership case studies with Traditional Owners. 2) Improved workflows for assessing natural values, activities and pressures, including updates to pressure information, and establishment of data agreements and processes for regular updates. 3) Assessment approaches for emerging industries, using offshore renewable energy adjacent to AMPs as a test case to identify potential impacts such as underwater noise, seabed disturbance, sediment transport, vessel interactions, displacement of existing activities, and other future uses such as decommissioning or carbon storage. 4) Improved system-wide understanding of AMPs through collaboration with Parks Australia, state and territory marine protected area managers and fisheries managers, including opportunities to align data, indicators and management effectiveness approaches. The outputs provided Parks Australia with a more consistent evidence base for adaptive management, management plan review, monitoring design, pressure assessment and cross-jurisdictional collaboration across Australia’s marine park system. Outputs • Updated national-scale spatial datasets of: (1) Natural Values Ecosystems; (2) Key Natural Values; (3) Pressures & Activities; (4) Cumulative impacts; (5) Ecosystem-level risk assessment (absolute risk) [datasets] • Refined list of monitoring priorities for AMPs [written] • Monitoring protocols for monitoring priorities [written] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "De-risking nature repair activities in Australian coastal and marine ecosystems". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Coastal and marine ecosystems provide shoreline protection, water quality improvement, biodiversity habitat, tourism, carbon storage, and cultural values. In Australia, many of these systems have been degraded, while national and international commitments are increasing the need to scale up restoration and nature-based solutions (“nature repair”) in a coordinated and evidence-based way. This project supported coastal and marine nature repair at scales relevant to national biodiversity and climate commitments by updating national stocktakes, compiling an evidence base, and scoping a coordinated framework for future investment and delivery. Existing databases, including the Australian Coastal Restoration Network and Living Shorelines Australia, were updated to improve information on restoration location, habitat type, intervention approach and outcomes. Evidence on effectiveness, risks and success measures was compiled across ecological, engineering, environmental, legal/governance, socio-economic, Indigenous and regional case-study themes. Engagement with DCCEEW, state governments, non-profit agencies, Indigenous communities, researchers and practitioners informed a forward-looking framework covering objectives, site and action selection, risks and liabilities, decision-support tools, technical guidance, monitoring and evaluation, and Indigenous co-design and leadership. The project outputs provide a framework to assist managers, funders and practitioners to understand where restoration has occurred, what approaches have been used, what risks need to be managed, and what evidence is available to guide future investment. This supports more coordinated planning and delivery of coastal and marine nature repair, including activities linked to blue carbon, biodiversity protection, and emerging nature repair markets. Outputs • Updates to Australian Coastal Restoration Network database, and the Living Shorelines Australia database [dataset] • Draft national framework for coordinated nature repair [written] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "An Indigenous-led approach to advance the health and wellbeing of Tebrakunna Country and people of the Coastal Plains nation, north-eastern Tasmania". No data outputs are planned for this project. -------------------- Tebrakunna Country in north-eastern Tasmania is a significant place for Tasmanian Aboriginal people and the Country of the Coastal Plains nation. Reconnecting to ancestral land and sea Country, restoring Aboriginal land management practices, and strengthening links between healthy Country and healthy people are central priorities for the Melaythenner Teeackana Warrana (Heart of Country) Aboriginal Corporation (MTWAC). This Indigenous-led and co-designed project, delivered by MTWAC and the University of Tasmania across all four NESP Hubs, will support Healthy Country Planning for Tebrakunna. MTWAC Indigenous researchers, Tebrakunna Country rangers and community members, and western scientists will work together to identify priority values, targets, threats and viability of Tebrakunna land and sea Country. The project will compile environmental, cultural and social information through MTWAC-led workshops and related research activities. It will develop approaches to assess the wellbeing benefits of connection to Country and on-Country activities, including spiritual, emotional, physical, socio-economic and environmental dimensions. It will also identify research, monitoring and capacity-building priorities, including opportunities in Sea Country condition assessment, cultural burning, cultural food sources, myerlee/golden kelp forest monitoring, seasonal cultural calendars, climate impacts and coastal wetland values. Outputs will support MTWAC’s strategic priorities to manage culture and heritage, strengthen the Tebrakunna Ranger Program, build community capacity and employment pathways, and progress aspirations for a future Indigenous Protected Area over Tebrakunna land and sea Country. The project will provide a stronger knowledge base for monitoring and improving the health of Country and people through MTWAC-led governance and planning. Outputs • Report characterising Coastal Country, including threats and opportunities assessment [written] • Co-designed wellbeing framework, methods and tools [written] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Development of regional modelling and risk assessments to inform offshore renewable decision-making". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Australia is entering a phase of rapid offshore renewable energy (ORE) development, particularly in eastern and south-eastern waters. In considering the environmental acceptability of wind energy projects under the EPBC Act and Offshore Electricity Infrastructure framework, methods are required to evaluate cumulative risks to listed species, Australian Marine Parks and other natural values, including risks that arise from construction, operation, decommissioning, climate change and existing human pressures. This project used quantitative modelling approaches to assess potential impacts and cumulative risks associated with offshore renewable energy infrastructure in the Gippsland declared region. Twelve impact pathways identified by DCCEEW were used to structure problem formulation, risk hypotheses, modelling and assessment, with priority species and associated data needs identified in consultation with DCCEEW and NOPSEMA. The project applied two linked modelling approaches: species-specific population models and whole-of-ecosystem modelling. Population models estimated exposure and potential effects for priority threatened and migratory species across breeding, overwintering, foraging and migration areas, including risks such as collision, underwater noise, electromagnetic fields, vessel interactions, displacement and attraction. Whole-of-ecosystem modelling assessed broader ecological pathways, including hydrodynamics, sediment transport, benthic habitat effects, displacement of fishing activity, trophic effects around infrastructure, and cumulative interactions with climate change. Scenario analyses were used to explore how risks varied with the timing, number, location and configuration of offshore renewable energy developments. Model outputs were used to assess the cumulative risks to key species and natural values, and supported evaluation of mitigation options such as infrastructure placement, construction timing, operational constraints and post-assessment monitoring. The project outputs provide regulators and conservation managers with a modelling framework for assessing ORE-related cumulative impacts, identifying monitoring requirements, prioritising future research, and support evidence-based decisions on risk acceptability and management under relevant environmental legislation. Outputs • Species-specific population models for key threatened and migratory species for the Gippsland ORE region [spatial outputs] • Outputs from Whole of Ecosystem (WoE) modelling [risk-based impact spatial outputs] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Assessing the condition of natural values within priority temperate Australian Marine Parks to evaluate management effectiveness". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Australian Marine Parks cover almost half of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and are managed using an adaptive management framework that requires robust ecological data to assess the condition and trend of natural values. Standardised long-term monitoring is critical for evaluating management effectiveness, understanding emerging pressures, and guiding future investment in park management. This project undertook ecological surveys across continental shelf habitats within Geographe, South-west Corner, Beagle, Hunter, and Kimberley Marine Parks. Surveys targeted priority long-term monitoring locations identified by Parks Australia, and were designed to collect comparable biological and ecological data relevant to management effectiveness assessment. Monitoring followed nationally standardised methods from the NESP Field Manuals for Marine Sampling to Monitor Australian Waters (https://doi.org/10.11636/9781925848755). Demersal fishes and sharks were surveyed using stereo-BRUVs and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs); mobile invertebrates using traps; sessile invertebrates, seagrass and macroalgal communities using ROVs and drop cameras; and shallow/mesophotic coral reef ecosystems using ROVs supplemented with stereo-BRUVs. Survey outputs included new baseline and repeat observations of natural values, biodiversity, habitat condition, species size structure and coral bleaching impacts. The data support assessment of ecological condition and trends, evaluation of pressures including climate change and marine heatwaves, and development of monitoring indicators and reporting protocols linked to Parks Australia’s Management Effectiveness framework. The project collaborated with Traditional Owners and Indigenous ranger groups, including the Wadandi Ranger Program, Undalup Association and Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation, supporting two-way knowledge exchange and Indigenous participation in Sea Country monitoring and management. Outputs • Fish scoring data from BRUV, BOSS and ROV platforms [dataset] • Benthic imagery with annotations from ROV and drop camera platforms [dataset] • Lobster catch data [dataset] • Spatially-referenced highlight videos/imagery for communication purposes [dataset] • Final project report [written]