This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "A photo-identification study of southern right whales to update aggregation area classification in the southwest of Australia". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Spotted handfish are a critically endangered fish that inhabit a rapidly developing coast. This bridging project continues efforts to conserve the species with on-ground actions guided by research. Previous NESP work (A10) helped developed a 23-year time-series of surveys, increased biological understanding and established effective management actions. This new work will recommence surveys of multiple local populations, after a two-year gap, to ensure potential impacts of development of the Derwent estuary and surrounds handfish populations or their habitats can be detected. We will also identify where to plant Artificial Spawning Habitats (ASH) where natural spawning structures have declined. We will continue to support our captive breeding program with industry and foster engagement with the indigenous and broader community through participation, talks, outreach, publications, and the National Handfish Recovery Team (NHRT). Planned Outputs • A consolidated database of all available data on spotted handfish imagery, length frequency, and GPS regions to 2022 [time-series database] • 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 small-scale study - "Australia’s Coastal Shorebirds: Trends and Prospects". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- 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where conservation actions are needed most urgently and whether conservation efforts are helping species recover are outdated.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 analyses 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. This project will set 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. Planned Outputs • Regional hotspots of Australian impacts on shorebird populations [spatial dataset] • Final technical report with analysed data and a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub bridging study - "A photo-identification study of southern right whales to update aggregation area classification in the southwest of Australia". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Aerial surveys of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) have been conducted across the southern Australian coast from Perth (W.A.) to Ceduna (S.A.) since 1993, as part of a long-term program to monitor the recovery, and inform the Conservation Management Plan (2011-2021), for this Endangered species (under the EPBC Act). The 2020 aerial survey recorded substantially lower numbers of whales than in the previous 13 years, and the lowest number of non-calving whales since the program started. An aerial survey conducted by this project in August 2021 will provide a relative estimate of annual population size for determining longer term population trends and contribute to determining if 2020 was an anomalous year or an indicator of some longer-term change to recent recovery rates and the female breeding cycle. Planned Outputs • Aerial whale survey data (counts by size class, number, and location) - 2021-22 season [dataset] • Individual whale photo-identification data - 2021-22 season [imagery - published to ARWPIC] • 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 small-scale study - "A photo-identification study of southern right whales to update aggregation area classification in the southwest of Australia". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The population of Southern Right Whales (SRW) in the Southern Hemisphere has been recovering slowly from near extinction due to its decimation from whaling before its ban in the mid-1970’s. As the species recovers, there is increasing evidence of expansion of aggregation areas. Consequently, there is a need to update known established aggregation areas and Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) and update relevant Marine Parks management plans based on new evidence. This project proposes to collate and complete photo-ID matching since 2010 to 2020 in the southwest of Australia and upload images to the National ARWPIC catalogue. Planned Outputs • Individual whale photo-identifications 2020-2020 in southwest Australia (Flinders and Geographe Bay) (photo-matching published to ARWPIC) • A report including evidence and recommendations for updating aggregation area classification in the southwest of Australia according to the Commonwealth criteria [written]