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]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Microplastics in South Eastern Australian coastal waters: synthesising current data and identifying key knowledge gaps for the management of plastic pollution". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Plastic pollution is pervasive in coastal environments globally and in Australia. Due to their small size, microplastics (pieces <5mm) are readily ingested by marine organisms and potentially accumulate across food webs, raising concerns for biota, ecosystem services and human health. Yet, to define guidelines and support policy actions that curb microplastic pollution, managers and decision-makers lack clear, synthesised information on this multifaceted issue, including on occurrence, sources, and pathways of microplastics in coastal and marine environments. This project produces a synthesis of current data on microplastics in South Eastern Australian coastal waters (i.e. South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales) and identify key knowledge gaps for the management of plastic pollution. Outputs • Inventory of compiled datasets relating to microplastics in SE Aus waters [spatial dataset] • Final Project Report synthesising the information available on the presence of microplastics in coastal marine environments in South Eastern Australia, its potential sources and pathways [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Australia’s Coastal Shorebirds: Trends and Prospects". No data outputs were generated by this project. -------------------- Coastal Australia is home to 37 regularly occurring migratory shorebird species, with many protected areas including Ramsar sites designated on the basis of shorebird populations. Many migratory shorebirds are declining rapidly, and hence the focus of conservation efforts at multiple levels of government in Australia and overseas. However, trend data are now nearly 10 years old, meaning the information available to assess where conservation actions are needed most urgently and whether conservation efforts are helping species recover are outdated. To ensure populations have the best chance at recovery and that resources are allocated where they are most likely to have the greatest positive impacts, it is critical to maintain up-to-date information on species trends. This project analysed 30 years of shorebird monitoring data collected by citizen science groups across Australia and curated by BirdLife Australia’s National Shorebird Monitoring Program to update national trend estimates, while also assessing the relative effects of human pressure and conservation efforts on population trends. In particular, it focused on 15 migratory shorebird species whose conservation status was being reassessed by the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. This project sets the stage for building the next decade of coastal shorebird conservation activity in Australia, coordinated through the national mechanism of the End User: National Migratory Shorebird Conservation Action Plan Steering Committee, with representatives from national and state governments as well as leading shorebird experts. Outputs • Fact Sheet on Australia's coastal shorebird trends and prospects [written] • Final Project Report, 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 small-scale study - "Microplastics in South Eastern Australian coastal waters: synthesising current data and identifying key knowledge gaps for the management of plastic pollution". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Plastic pollution is pervasive in coastal environments globally and in Australia. Due to their small size, microplastics (pieces <5mm) are readily ingested by marine organisms and potentially accumulate across food webs, raising concerns for biota, ecosystem services and human health. Yet, to define guidelines and support policy actions that curb microplastic pollution, managers and decision-makers lack clear, synthesised information on this multifaceted issue, including on occurrence, sources, and pathways of microplastics in coastal and marine environments. This project produces a synthesis of current data on microplastics in South Eastern Australian coastal waters (i.e. South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales) and identify key knowledge gaps for the management of plastic pollution. Outputs • List of compiled datasets relating to microplastics in SE Aus waters [spatial dataset] • Scoping document synthesising the information available on the presence of microplastics in coastal marine environments in South Eastern Australia, its potential sources and pathways [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, with several regions earmarked for wind farms on the eastern and south-eastern coasts. In considering the environmental acceptability of wind energy projects, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) will assess potential risks to the recovery of populations listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act 1999). The assessment process will consider cumulative environmental impacts at a regional or even ocean basin-scale, in addition to environmental factors specific to ORE. Additionally, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environment Authority (NOPSEMA) has identified the need for improved understanding on species, processes and industry activities to support impact and risk assessment. This project will demonstrate the use of two kinds of modelling (whole-of-ecosystem modelling and individual species modelling) to estimate the impacts and risks of installing ORE infrastructure in the Gippsland declared region. The project will use the Impact pathways defined by DCCEEW to structure its approach and methods, and will work with DCCEEW and NOPSEMA to identify priority species and associated data needs. The project will use the recently declared Gippsland region as a case study, together with the 12 ORE impact pathways identified by DCEEW, to contextualise the quantitative modelling and cumulative risk calculations that will be performed. 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 scoping study - "Research needs for a national approach to socio-economic values of the marine environment". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Frameworks that integrate social, economic and ecological concerns on an equal footing are gaining popularity as part of the process of embracing coupled human-nature systems. Identifying the assets, variables, indicators and data relevant to specific frameworks is essential to cost-effective environmental research, planning and action. This project reviewed common frameworks that conceptualise the relationship between people and nature to identify which parts of the system influence environmental outcomes, and factors relevant to designing policy or influencing behaviours. It worked with stakeholders through co-design to identify: (a) social and economic research priorities, and (b) existing social and economic datasets to address these priorities. A key point of difference from previous NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub projects was an additional theme on implementation and behaviour change to enable research to inform the full pathway from policy to on ground action. Outputs • Inventory of compiled datasets relating to relevant economic values, threats, and socioeconomic values for Case Study locations [data inventory] • Four fact sheets, each based around common decision contexts encountered by the project [written] • Final Project Report [written]

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]