This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Potential impacts of offshore wind developments on eastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda)". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) are listed as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC 1999), and their distribution and Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) overlap with areas proposed for offshore renewable energy (ORE) development in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and potentially NSW. This project will quantify the distribution and location of areas of residency (e.g., foraging) for eastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales, where these overlap with proposed ORE developments, and assess the potential impacts of these developments to the species in addition to existing impacts from other anthropogenic activities. The outputs from this project will assist government, regulators, proponents, and other stakeholders in the assessment and mitigation of ORE projects to this threatened species, and will identify future research and associated data collection needs. Outputs • Spatial layers quantifying the relative distribution including migratory corridors and foraging areas across the known eastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue whale range [dataset] • Spatial layers of habitat suitability distribution [dataset] • Spatial layers for human activities identified as key pressures in this study [dataset] • Spatial layers of cumulative impact score across the species' range including potential threats from ORE and existing threats from other industries [dataset] • Final project report [written]

This project updates the 2019 predictive benthic habitat map for this region, extending past the subtidal zone of the harbour to include intertidal habitats. The project worked with collaborators to synthesise existing data sets for inclusion in benthic habitat mapping process. Hydrodynamic model variables were updated and new digital elevation data included to provide a more accurate representation of the bed shear stress, waves and current. LiDAR surveys were conducted to fill in the gap between the IX bathymetric survey and the high tide water mark. The LiDAR survey data extended the existing bathymetry data. A total of 30 towed video transects were conducted in areas predicted to have a high probability of benthic fauna occurrence based on the existing predictive model. The benthic habitat model was updated to include NTG historical data, new towed video data, hydrodynamic and light data.

The Seamap Australia National Benthic Habitat Layer (NBHL) is a compilation of benthic habitat datasets obtained from various sectors including research, government, industry and community sources, across Australia. Disparate datasets are integrated into a single national-scale benthic habitat database, and classified uniformly under a national classification scheme implemented as a controlled vocabulary (https://vocabs.ardc.edu.au/viewById/129). For acceptance into the 'formal' (validated_ Seamap Australia NBHL (see https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/4739e4b0-4dba-4ec5-b658-02c09f27ab9a), source habitat datasets must meet a set of Acceptance Criteria (documented in https://seamapaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SeamapAustraliaDataAcceptanceGuidelines.pdf). Broadly speaking, for inclusion in the Seamap Australia NBHL, datasets must: (1) be well-described by metadata or associated documentation; (2) employ a single, consistent classification scheme which avoids non-deterministic or ambiguous terms; (3) bequality-controlled by the provider prior to contribution; (4) beacquired using an established and community-endorsed form of data collection (eg satellite, aerial or acoustic remote sensing); and (5) have documented evidence of ground-truthing validation at the time of data collection (e.g. drop camera, towed video, benthic grabs). This record describes habitat datasets that meet Acceptance Criteria 1-4, but *have not* been validated/ground-truthed and are therefore ineligible for inclusion in the formal Seamap Australia NBHL. They have been synthesised and uniformly classified using an identical methodology to the NBHL, but represent an intermediate collection of habitat datasets that would benefit from field ground-truthing in order to validate the habitat classifications. The Seamap Australia synthesis of unvalidated habitat datasets can be viewed, analysed and downloaded from the Seamap Australia data portal (https://seamapaustralia.org/map). This dataset should be considered a “live” asset and will continue to develop as more unvalidated habitat datasets are collected or made available. The most current (2024) version of the data is available from the following endpoints: WMS: https://geoserver.imas.utas.edu.au/geoserver/seamap/wms WFS: https://geoserver.imas.utas.edu.au/geoserver/seamap/wfs Layer name: SeamapAus_NBHL_unvalidated Various download options are supplied in the “Online resources” section of this record.

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Enhancing monitoring approaches to evaluate the abundance, life history and critical habitats of the endangered Australian sea lion". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The Australian sea lion (ASL; Neophoca cinerea) is Australia’s only endemic pinniped. Populations have declined by more than 60% over the last 40 years to extremely low levels, leading to its endangered status. Known threats to the species include fisheries bycatch, disease, pollution, entanglement in marine debris, and climate change. Improving our understanding of the species’ abundance, life history and critical habitats is essential for evaluating these threats and guiding recovery actions but is challenging due to the species’ unique life-history and breeding biology, longevity, demersal foraging behaviour and occupancy of remote breeding habitat. This project aims to improve the monitoring and inform the management of Australian sea lions by developing cost-effective methods for acquiring abundance data from under-surveyed regions impacted by anthropogenic pressures. To do so, it will: • Apply drones to enhance monitoring at suitable breeding and haul-out sites • Develop efficient techniques to process and analyse demographic data so that survival and reproductive success estimates from a microchipped population at Seal Bay can be routinely updated; and • Continue to deploy underwater cameras on sea lions to identify and understand critical habitats and risks. Findings from these activities will underpin the National Recovery Team conservation efforts, in line with the Australian Government's Threatened Species Action Plan and Healthy Country plans. Outputs • Qualitative and qualitative spatial assessments of breeding sites from helicopter surveys in Recherche Archipelago [dataset] • Drone-collected photogrammetry, FLIR, thermal imaging and LiDAR data [dataset] • Demographic results from analysis of Seal Bay microchipping program [dataset] • Tracking data from sea lion-deployed tags: location, depth, time, temperature, light, acceleration [dataset] • Timestamped video footage from sea lion-deployed cameras [dataset] • Short non-technical summaries to distil the key findings and take-home messages [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. -------------------- Scaling up marine and coastal restoration and nature-based solutions (NbS) (“nature repair”) in Australia is necessary to achieve national and international commitments to biodiversity and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The goal of this project is to guide coastal marine nature repair in Australia at scales relevant to help meet national targets through the following aims: 1) Update a stocktake of the coastal and marine restoration and NbS activities which have occurred in Australia. 2) Develop the evidence-base to de-risk coastal and marine nature repair. 3) Scope a forward-looking coordinated framework to support continued implementation of investments in nature repair of Australia’s coastal and marine ecosystems. Addressing these aims is required to move forward beyond uncoordinated efforts to achieve effective seascape-scale interventions that support the Nature Positive Plan and international targets. 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 "Environmental concentrations of emerging contaminants in coastal stormwater". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Australia’s Waste Policy Action Plan, Threat Abatement Plan for the impacts of marine debris and Australia’s One Health Master Action Plan all refer to the need for emerging pollutants to be incorporated into contaminant guidelines. A scoping study conducted by NESP MaC Hub in 2022 (Project 1.16) determined there is a clear and consistent need for data on environmental concentrations of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and an assessment of their impact on ecological communities. To build an evidence-based understanding of the environmental concentrations of these contaminants and their ecological significance in Australian coastal waters, NESP MaC Project 2.4 was co-designed with end-users to determine environmental concentrations and potential ecological effects at selected wastewater treatment plant outfalls. In 2023, end-users stated a need for improving the temporal and spatial resolution of the current project. Project 2.4 used outputs of oceanographic simulations and other information to identify a small set of locations for sampling that are representative of a range of receiving water contexts. Spatial surveys of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water and sediments were undertaken during the dry period to limit the potential for stormwater inputs, and only one time period was sampled. An implicit assumption of the sampling design was that stormwater also contains CECs and could confound the assessment of contaminants in wastewater. This project (4.22) is an extension of Project 2.4 and will determine the concentration of emerging pollutants in coastal stormwater, and in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, and do so on a seasonal basis. Sampling will be undertaken in two key locations: Gamay (NSW) and Glenelg (South Australia). These are the same locations sampled in Project 2.4 (with a focus on WWTPs) which will enable the concentrations of CECs to be compared at stormwater locations. 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 "Environmental DNA for measuring offshore marine biodiversity: what can DNA in water collected from the RV Investigator tell us?". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material that is found in the environment. In marine ecosystems eDNA is ubiquitous in seawater and is derived from everything from bacteria to invertebrates and fishes. eDNA can be recovered by filtering water samples and then used it to characterise biodiversity. Using environmental DNA (eDNA) found in seawater to get a snapshot of the species present in an area is an emerging technology with diverse applications in marine ecosystem monitoring. This project will collect a large eDNA dataset during the Southeast Australian Marine Ecosystem Survey (SEA-MES). The eDNA samples will be taken from the RV Investigator throughout the water column at offshore sites stretching from Tasmania to NSW, including sites within the South-east Marine Park Network. The voyage includes parallel collection of biodiversity data using a suite of conventional methods (nets, cameras, and acoustics) which will allow for an assessment of how eDNA compliments these approaches. The project will provide a new baseline and unique eDNA-based perspective on the biodiversity of the southeast Australian marine region. It will also allow for evaluation of eDNA sampling methods and guidance for design of effective, scalable, and non-extractive biomonitoring tools for marine ecosystems. Outputs • eDNA sequences with associated collection metadata (x2 voyages x50 sites) [dataset] • 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. -------------------- Parks Australia has developed an adaptive management approach to the Australian Marine Parks (AMPs). This Management Effectiveness (ME) system is designed to allow Parks Australia to test the effectiveness of the AMP system and ensure that AMPs are effectively and appropriately managed. Parks Australia have identified priorities for research to assist in the implementation of the ME system, to identify scientific outputs needed for network management and adapt to new issues in the marine environment through the Australian Marine Parks Science Plan. This project will deliver several of the key science needs identified in the plan and will draw on the combined expertise of the partners and scientists within the Marine and Coastal Hub to generate the outcomes which build onto extensive work previously delivered. The project will deliver the following four outputs required for the 2028 National AMP management plan review: 1) Develop monitoring protocols for Tier 1 & 2 priority monitoring sites to assess the effectiveness of management arrangements; 2) Improve workflows for assessing natural values, activities and pressures; 3) Identify and define impacts and management options for emerging industries; and 4) Improve overall understand the entire AMP system through increased collaboration. 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]

The goal of the program was developing comprehensive inventories and maps of the distribution and abundance of physical and biological seabed habitats, seagrasses and benthic assemblages to provide baseline environmental mapping and a description of ecological patterns. The benthic habitat mapping was performed by utilising R/Python and Maxent software within the species distribution modelling domain. We correlated the probability of occurrence of individual benthic habitat classes with the environmental predictors developed form the multibeam hydroacoustic dataset. The data is presented as a maximum likelihood map incorporating all five prediction classes: (1- Macroalgae; 2- Filter Feeders; 3- Seagrass; 4- Hard Corals; 5- Bare seafloor). An updated version of this data are available (2022) Revised predictive benthic habitat map for Darwin Harbour. Report prepared for Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Darwin, 127 pp.

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. -------------------- Australia is entering a phase of rapid offshore renewable energy development, with several marine regions earmarked for wind farms. Underwater noise generated by the construction and operation of large wind turbines may affect species such as whales that rely on their acoustic environment to feed, breed and survive. This desktop study used available data and expert elicitation to develop an interim Population Consequences of Disturbance (iPCoD) model for blue whales and southern right whales in relation to one or multiple offshore wind farm developments off Portland and Gippsland, Victoria. This method has been used internationally to assess the impacts of offshore wind farm developments, including for harbour porpoises in British waters. The model follows a decision pathway to consider factors such as: • when and where development activities overlap with populations; • the proportion of populations affected; • the life stages and reproductive phases affected; and • the chances of repeated disturbance. The model was used to predict the timing and location of cumulative impacts of the proposed activities at a regional scale, identifying which species are at ‘high-risk’ and are a priority for further research; noise levels mitigation measures required to adequately reduce the risk of compromised population viability; what research is needed to better understand population-level consequences of noise; and which mitigation measures can substantially reduce the risk of population-level effects. The iPCoD model will be able to be updated as new data become available, and is relevant for assessment against other ocean-based activities such as oil and gas infrastructure and carbon capture and storage. Outputs • iPCoD model outputs [dataset] • Species distribution maps, as derived for existing observational data [spatial visualisation/story] • Final Project Report [written]