A review of peer-reviewed publications was undertaken, focusing on coastal and marine microplastics relevant to South Eastern Australia (South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales), as well as from ongoing citizen science programmes from AUSMAP. This dataset summarises basic information about the microplastics studies: the location of the study; if the study focused on water, sediment or biota; the type of biota (for biotic studies); and the DOI of the publication. Although the primary focus of this study was restricted to southeastern Australia, studies collated from other regions have also been included in this dataset. The outcomes of the literature review for other regions (QLD, NT, SA, WA, Tas) should not be considered comprehensive.

This metadata record provides a brief overview of the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal (MaC) Hub. The record acts as an aggregation point for all NESP Marine and Coastal Hub data collections and projects developed as part of this research program. The National Environmental Science Program (NESP) is a long-term commitment by the Australian Government to environment and climate research. The first phase invested $145 million (2014-15 to 2020-21) into 6 research hubs. The second phase invests $149 million (2020-21 to 2026-27) into 4 new research hubs. The program builds on its predecessors – the National Environmental Research Program (NERP) and the Australian Climate Change Science Programme (ACCSP) – to support decision-makers to understand, manage and conserve Australia’s environment by funding world-class biodiversity and climate science. The Marine and Coastal Hub is a collaborative partnership supported by funding from the Australian Government administered by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. The current NESP funding program runs from 2021 to 2027. The Marine and Coastal Hub is co-administered by the University of Tasmania (UTAS), and the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC). The Marine and Coastal Hub will deliver: • applied research to support management of Australia’s marine and coastal environments including estuaries, coast, reefs, shelf and deep-water • targeted biodiversity and taxonomy products to support efficient system monitoring • environmental monitoring systems and decision-support tools. The hub will also drive coordinated research across all 4 new hubs under NESP’s ‘protected place management’ cross-cutting mission. This research will support management of Australia’s protected places and heritage, including the national park estate and Ramsar sites in both marine and terrestrial environments. Research products from the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub are available from https://nespmarinecoastal.edu.au and the Australian Ocean Data Network catalogue (http://catalogue.aodn.org.au)

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 are planned for this project. -------------------- Coastal habitat restoration is scaling up rapidly in Australia and covers a range of habitats including oyster reefs, seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, kelp forests, and saltmarshes. Every restoration project includes some attempt at monitoring outcomes but currently these are piecemeal, uncoordinated, often poorly funded, and rarely follow Open Science protocols. Previous NESP-funded projects have improved understanding of the ecology and service provision of threatened ecosystems and established targets for repair based on reference conditions (e.g. Marine Biodiversity project B4). They have also established an extensive database of marine and coastal restoration projects (ARCN: project E5), and have supported the development of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement systems (MERI) for various sectors or projects. By combining the knowledge of all Australian researchers undertaking monitoring of restoration projects, across multiple habitats, this project will build upon these previous projects to synthesise the approaches for monitoring of habitat restoration. It will also explore integration of new technologies, such as automation, artificial intelligence, and eDNA, within the monitoring framework to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The primary output will be a co-ordinated and open-science framework for restoration monitoring across projects, scales and habitats, that integrates clearly articulated hypotheses to determine the goals for restoration. This framework will streamline development of future restoration projects and ensure that maximum value from monitoring activities is achieved. Planned Outputs • Literature review [written] • Guidelines document (best-practice toolkit) [written] ---no data outputs are planned for this project---

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project "Mapping temperate continental shelf seabed habitats". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Rocky reefs provide anchors for attached marine invertebrate species such as corals and sponges, creating habitat for mobile invertebrates, and resident and roving fishes and mammals. They are subject to pressures from activities such as fishing, shipping, as well as climate change. Given their important natural, economic and social value, rocky reefs are focus areas for management in marine bioregional plans and Australian Marine Parks (AMPs). Previous collaborative research by the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub and Parks Australia found that for many AMPs, understanding the extent of seabed habitats (including reef) is a priority for evaluating management effectiveness. While detailed habitat maps exists for many nearshore regions, however, they are lacking for Commonwealth waters. This project will fill gaps in knowledge of the extent and distribution of seabed habitats on Australia’s temperate continental shelf, with a focus on surveys of rocky reefs in the South-west Marine Parks Network and the South-east Marine Parks Network. Existing data will be collated and analysed to validate the presence/absence of seabed habitats on the temperate continental shelf, and drop cameras will be deployed at priority areas the validate habitats. The new knowledge will enhance the capacity of AMP managers to protect marine park values and assess the effectiveness of management. Outputs • Seafloor imagery and annotations [dataset] • Validated habitat maps (for AMPs with detailed observations) [dataset] • Habitat prediction maps (for AMPs lacking observations) [dataset] • Updated reef extent layer for temperate continental shelf [dataset] • Final technical report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub scoping study - "Research needs for assessment and monitoring of nutrients, chemicals and antimicrobials in the marine environment". No data outputs were generated by this project. -------------------- Water quality can be impacted by a large suite of chemical and microbiological contaminants introduced from a variety of sources. There are a number of emerging contaminants and broad ranges of point sources, including a variety of chemical (e.g. heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, nutrients) and microbiological (e.g. pathogens, antibiotic resistant microbes) contaminants that are discharged in sewage, stormwater, estuarine flows and industrial wastes. This project will involve a desktop scoping study to collate relevant datasets and current water quality monitoring goals and activities; engage with key stakeholders through workshops, interviews, and surveys to further define priorities; and conduct a risk assessment to assess impacts to marine and coastal water quality. This project will deliver a clear framework for highlighting knowledge gaps, future research directions and water quality management priorities. Outputs • Final technical report with analysed data, including survey outcomes and a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written] ---no data outputs were generated by this project---

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2023 project "Assessing changes in black rockcod abundance and size". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- This project will assess the relative abundance and size of the threatened black rockcod (Epinephelus daemelii) to inform how the species is responding to conservation and management actions. In 2010, a broadscale survey (81 sites) was undertaken in northern NSW and Lord Howe Island, followed by subsequent surveys of a subset of these sites approximately every 4-5 years. This project proposes to repeat the surveys of the initial 81 baseline sites to assess if protection measures, such as marine protected area sanctuary zones, are assisting in recovery of black rockcod. Overall, this will provide a 13-year time series (2010 – 2023) that will be used to indicate if black rockcod are increasing in abundance, getting larger, and/or becoming more widespread, all indicators that can be used to assess if recovery actions being implemented are effective. Outputs • underwater visual census (UVC) data for black rock cod [dataset] • Final project report [written]

Tidal wetlands are vulnerable to accelerated rates of sea-level rise projected by climate models. The Surface Elevation Table (SET) is a technique applied globally to assess the extent of vertical adjustment of tidal wetlands to sea-level rise over decadal timescales. This record describes the SET data from the Australian network (OzSET). This data can be used for analyzing wetlands elevation change at the study sites

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 are expected to be generated by this project. -------------------- This project aims to advance the establishment and use of national standards and best practices to monitor the condition status of priority values and pressures of Australia’s marine estate. It will build on the national standards and best practice process developed in the previous NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub to produce three new national standards for monitoring (drop cameras, socioeconomic surveys of marine users, marine microplastics). A practical implementation plan will be developed to embed the application of standards, with particular attention to inclusive and diverse approaches (e.g. engagement of community groups and Indigenous partnerships). The plan will set out a future path to develop, maintain and make available national standards; increase their uptake; and assess effectiveness and impact as related to the delivery of 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] ---no data outputs will be generated by this project---

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Quantifying the ecosystem services of the Great Southern Reef". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The Great Southern Reef (GSR) is an interconnected system of reefs dominated by kelp forests spanning over 8,000 km along southern Australia. It is a global hotspot for marine biodiversity and endemism, and one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. Kelp forests, however, are diminishing and evidence-based management is hindered without accurate estimates of their contribution to society and the economy. In this project, we will systematically compile and synthesise existing data on the ecosystem values and services provided by the GSR, including market and non-market values. These assessments will be aligned with existing accounting standards to ensure compatibility with ongoing and future efforts. Outputs • Inventory of data collated and assessed for the purpose of developing ecosystem accounts for GSR • Final technical report with analysed data, 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 scoping study - "Identify knowledge gaps and solutions for extent mapping of Australian marine and coastal wetlands". No data outputs were created by this project. -------------------- Marine and coastal wetlands provide extensive ecosystem services to Australia, and a comprehensive inventory is required for effective conservation and protection. This project will identify key knowledge and inventory gaps and determine solutions to progress a consolidated inventory within the context of a wider review of national mapping capacity for wetlands. Gaps and solutions will be identified through targeted surveys and workshops with end-users and researchers following a review of relevant data and literature. A summary of the status of mapping habitat attributes and services such as blue carbon, coastal protection and shorebird habitat will be produced. The outcome will be identified prioritisation for future investment to fill 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] ---No data outputs were created by this project.---