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]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Towards a consolidated and open-science framework for restoration monitoring". No data outputs were generated by this project. -------------------- Coastal habitat restoration is scaling up rapidly in Australia and covers a range of diverse ecosystems including oyster reefs, seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, kelp forests, and saltmarshes. While monitoring is commonly included in these projects, approaches are often uncoordinated, inconsistently funded, and rarely follow open science protocols. Previous NESP-funded projects have advanced understanding of the ecology and service provision of threatened ecosystems and established targets for repair based on reference conditions (e.g. Marine Biodiversity Hub project B4). They also created a national database of marine and coastal restoration projects (Australian Coastal Restoration Network: project E5) and supported the development of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement (MERI) systems across various sectors. Building on this foundation, the current project synthesised monitoring approaches across multiple habitat types by drawing on the collective expertise of Australian researchers. It also explored the integration of emerging technologies—such as automation, artificial intelligence, and eDNA—to improve monitoring efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The primary output of this project is a coordinated, open-science monitoring framework that incorporates clearly defined restoration goals and a core set of universal variables. Developed through expert consultation, the framework supports consistent benchmarking across projects while accommodating habitat-specific and goal-driven metrics. The framework promotes data accessibility, standardised definitions, and the integration of new technologies to streamline the development of future restoration projects and maximise the value of restoration monitoring. Outputs • Best-practice toolkit / final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub scoping study - "National Areas of Interest for Seabed Mapping, Characterisation and Biodiversity Assessment". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Seabed and marine biodiversity data are time-consuming and costly to collect, so it is imperative that acquisition is focused on areas that align with end user priorities. The value that different stakeholders place on seabed and biodiversity data can be difficult to determine. Therefore, a shared process for identifying survey priorities is required to ensure the maximum shared benefit of future survey investment across research users, funding agencies, infrastructure providers, as well as the wider marine research community. The project aimed to assist with the planning and prioritisation of marine surveys (both physical and biological) by scoping a prioritisation framework for marine surveys undertaking physical and biological seabed data collection in Australia. Focused workshops and targeted engagements with seabed mapping organisations were used to develop a standard set of metadata for agencies to define spatial Areas of Interest (AOI). The standard metadata were used in a prototype prioritisation framework that allows users to transparently and consistently rank and prioritise survey work or data delivery processes. The prioritisation is then based on rankings established by defined sets of criteria. A web-based AOI submission tool and mapping publication service was then developed for these defined areas as part of the AusSeabed Survey Coordination Tool. Adoption of this tool facilitates the development of an interim national areas of interest product to inform future survey planning. This product supports both the needs of Parks Australia's network Science Plans, and consideration of information needs for Indigenous Protected Areas within Sea Country. Outputs • National Areas of Interest polygon & interactive map [dataset] • Code for Survey Coordination Tool [Github Repo] • Final Report with Value Prioritisation Framework [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub bridging study - "Support for Parks Australia’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement System for Australian Marine Parks". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The system of marine parks that spans Australia’s Commonwealth waters is among the largest in the world. These parks play a major role in conserving marine life, supporting commercial and recreational activities, and protecting cultural values significant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Parks Australia has developed management plans for five regional Australian Marine Park (AMP) networks (North, North-west, South-west, South-east and Temperate East) and the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP). Under each management plan, a science plan sets priorities for monitoring and research to evaluate management effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement. This prioritisation is vital given the limited knowledge across many AMPs, the technical challenges and high costs of science in remote areas, and the finite resources available for park management. Building on foundational work from the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub (projects SS2 and D7), this project delivered the scientific and technical advice needed to establish monitoring priorities for natural values and pressures across all AMP networks and the CSMP—completing a full national priority list for monitoring. It applied a nationally consistent four-step prioritisation framework that considered ecological importance, vulnerability to pressures, baseline data availability, and logistical feasibility. The project also updated the National Ecosystem model and Pressures & Activities datasets, conducted expert vulnerability assessments, and produced a Relative Cumulative Impact index. The combined research delivers a nationally accepted "common language" to describe natural values and pressures and a science-based method to derive monitoring priorities, aligned with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) system—an adaptive management framework that is globally unique and a significant step towards adaptive, integrated, place-based management. Key outputs include a national database of environmental and human-use data for each management region and a refined list of monitoring priorities for each AMP Network and the CSMP. The findings highlight major knowledge gaps—particularly in the distribution of mesophotic and rariphotic reefs, intertidal ecosystems, and recreational fishing impacts—and provide guidance for improving baseline data and pressure assessments. The prioritisation framework and data products developed through this project can be re-generated over time alongside improvements in the evidence base and our understanding of how ecosystems respond to multi-sectoral activities to support continual improvement in iterative, evidence-based park management and environmental outcomes. Outputs • Digital map layers per AMP network of: (1) Ecosystems; (2) Pressures & Activities; and (3) Cumulative Benthic & Pelagic Impacts • Final Technical Report containing maps of Key Natural Values, and of spatial Monitoring Priorities, including a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project "Improving socio-ecological understanding of natural values in Australian Marine Parks". No public data outputs will be generated by this project. -------------------- Parks Australia (Australian Government) manage 60 Australian Marine Parks (AMPs) around the country, covering an area of 3.8 million square kilometres, or 43% of all Australian waters. The approach to managing AMPs is set out in eight Management Plans: one for each of the five marine park networks (North, North-west, South-west, South-east and Temperate East) and one each for the Coral Sea Marine Park, Christmas Island Marine Park and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park. A statutory review of Management Plans for the North, North-west, South-west, Temperate-East networks and the Coral Sea Marine Park is scheduled for 2028. Socio-economic information is needed alongside natural values data to assess management effectiveness and understand how Australians use, value and perceive the marine park system. This project progressed the use of socio-economic information to support Australian Marine Park management and the 2028 management plan review. It builds on previous NESP research by redeveloping socio-economic benchmarks aligned with Parks Australia’s sentinel park approach and network-scale reporting, and complements NESP-led data synthesis projects (SS2, D7, 1.3, 4.20 and 4.21). The project redesigned two repeatable national surveys: a knowledge, attitudes and practice boat ramp survey targeting recreational fishers and non-fishers who use Australian Marine Parks, and a general public survey exploring broader community awareness, attitudes and views on management zones. Nine boat-ramp survey locations were selected with Parks Australia to support park- and network-scale estimates of recreational use covering the Coral Sea, and North, North-west, South-west, South-east and Temperate East networks. The survey design and sampling regime provide a basis for assessing changes in awareness, attitudes and use patterns since the 2019/20 benchmark. Combined with natural values data, these outputs strengthen the Management Effectiveness system and support more integrated reporting on the social, economic and ecological values of Australian Marine Parks. Outputs • Responses from recreational user surveys [dataset]. In accordance with National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, only aggregated outputs will be made publicly available. • Final technical report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project "Ecological outcomes of wastewater discharges in contrasting receiving environments". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Coastal and marine environments are increasingly exposed to pollution from land-based sources, including wastewater. With the majority of Australians living near the coast, household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and plastics can enter the ocean via wastewater treatment plant outfalls. National policies and action plans, including Australia’s Waste Policy Action Plan, the Threat Abatement Plan for the impacts of marine debris, and the One Health Master Action Plan, all emphasise the need to incorporate emerging pollutants into contaminant guidelines. However, current monitoring programs focus on a limited set of contaminants, leaving major gaps in our understanding of the presence, concentration, and ecological effects of emerging pollutants in the marine environment. This project addressed this problem by: (1) identifying priority pollutants of concern; (2) determining concentrations of Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CEC) at a range of wastewater outfall sites with varying hydrodynamic settings; and (3) assessing where environmental impacts are likely to be greatest. It focused on five key pollutant groups: microplastics, nutrients, heavy metals, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and antimicrobials. Hydrodynamic modelling was used to evaluate residence times and pollutant dispersal in selected marine settings, and field sampling was conducted to assess contaminant levels and potential ecological impacts on the lower food web. The project built on the findings of NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Scoping Study 1.16, which identified the need for impact assessments for CECs. The project generated new knowledge to inform risk assessments of emerging contaminants in the marine environment and provides recommendations for prioritising future monitoring and investment. It also enhances access to wastewater discharge data through continued development of the National Outfall Database. Outputs • Measures of CEC (contaminants of emerging concern) and microbial community composition in water and sediment samples taken from outfall sites [dataset] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project "Advancing national standards and best practices to monitor key marine values and pressures". No data outputs were generated by this project. -------------------- Standardised approaches to marine monitoring are critical for ensuring data consistency, transparency, and comparability across time, regions, and sectors. The development and application of national standards and best practices provide the foundation for monitoring the condition of Australia’s marine estate. As pressures on the marine environment increase, so too does the need for robust, inclusive, and nationally consistent monitoring practices. This project advanced the development and implementation of national best-practice standards to monitor the condition of priority values and pressures across Australia's marine estate. It built on previous work conducted by the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub through the release of Version 3 of the Field Manuals for Marine Sampling to Monitor Australian Waters. This version introduced three new manuals for: (1) sampling microplastics in marine and coastal environments; (2) conducting knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) surveys with recreational marine users; and (3) use of the Benthic Observation Survey System (BOSS), a novel multi-camera drop platform for benthic imagery. Indigenous partners contributed to the development of the KAP and BOSS manuals, laying the foundation for future Indigenous-led monitoring initiatives. The project identified key barriers to adoption of the field manuals and developed a set of recommendations, included nominating the manuals for international endorsement, establishing governance mechanisms, securing long-term funding, and identifying priorities for future SOP development, such as offshore renewable energy monitoring. All materials were aligned with the Ocean Best Practices System to facilitate national and international uptake. A practical implementation plan was developed to guide the future development and maintenance of national standards; promote their broader adoption; and assess their effectiveness and impact in delivering priority monitoring activities. Outputs • Workshop and questionnaire report gauging the needs of scientists, Indigenous communities, and marine managers [written] • Scientific publication on marine best practice development [written] • New national standards for (1) drop cameras; (2) socioeconomic surveys; and (3) microplastics studies [written] • Implementation plan (final report) [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project "Synthesis of environmental values to support the review of Australian Marine Park management plans". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Parks Australia (Australian Government) manage 60 Australian Marine Parks (AMPs) around the country, covering an area of 3.8 million square kilometres, or 43% of all Australian waters. The approach to managing AMPs is set out in eight Management Plans, one for each of the five marine park networks (North, North-west, South-west, South-east and Temperate East) and one each for the Coral Sea Marine Park, Christmas Island Marine Park and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park. A statutory review of Management Plans for the North, North-west, South-west, Temperate-East networks and the Coral Sea Marine Park is scheduled for 2028. This review requires accessible, synthesised evidence on science outputs, natural values, socio-economic values and pressures across parks and networks. This project supports the 2028 statutory review by synthesising relevant NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub, NESP Marine and Coastal Hub, and Parks Australia-contracted work from 2017 onwards. These reports bring together science outputs, natural values, pressures and socio-economic information from 2017 onwards, aggregated where possible to Park and Network scales. The project reviewed the data summaries, workflows and reporting tools used to prepare the synthesis reports, and identified opportunities to better integrate this infrastructure. These recommendations support future AMP management effectiveness reporting, statutory review processes, and national environmental assessment and impact reporting. Outputs • Catalogue of available data for each reviewed Network (North, North-west, South-west, Temperate East) and the Coral Sea AMP [data inventory] • Synthesis report [written] for each region that will include: - a summary of science activity and outputs since 2017 - summaries of the state and trend of Natural Values and Pressures since 2017, aggregated by Ecosystem Component, Ecosystem Depth Zone, AMP, and AMP Zone type (where possible) • Final technical report (including recommendations to support AMP management and reporting) [written]