This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2023 project "Improving data on the distribution and ecological value of temperate subtidal seagrass in tayaritja (Furneaux Group of Islands), Tasmania". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Seagrass meadows are a dominant marine ecosystem of tayaritja (Furneaux group of Islands) in the north-eastern waters off Tasmania, with historical coarse mapping indicating extensive beds of Posidonia, Amphibolis, Hetreozostera and Zostera seagrass. The beds of Posidonia and Amphibiolis are potentially some of the largest and deepest extents found in temperate waters of Australia. Lack of data on the distribution and ecological value of these seagrass habitats represents a significant knowledge gap in understanding Australian wetland natural assets that provide a range of ecological, social, cultural and economic values. This project aims to map the extent and ecological composition, population structure and blue carbon value of the seagrass beds around tayaritja in partnership with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. This project will help managers and the Aboriginal communities to understand the significance of these seagrass meadows and understand how they may be monitored. Outputs • Seagrass extent and composition map for Furneaux group [dataset] • Video and imagery of seagrass [dataset] • Final project report [written]

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2023 project "Guiding research and best practice standards for the sustainable development of Offshore Renewables and other emerging marine industries in Australia". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Australia is entering a phase of rapid development of offshore renewable energy (ORE) projects and there is an immediate need to ensure these developments occur in a socio-ecologically sustainable manner. This project will identify existing environmental and cultural data and best-practice monitoring standards to inform the sustainable development of ORE projects (primarily wind) in Australia and enabling regulatory decisions to be compliant with Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act and the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (OEI) Act requirements. This project plans to run in conjunction with a second project that focusses on the immediate priorities of regulators, with a focus on the confirmed area of declaration for ORE off the east Gippsland coast, Victoria. Critical to informing the direction and focus of these projects is guidance from an ORE Program Steering Committee, that will comprise representatives from relevant sections within DCCEEW, NOPSEMA, and MaC Hub partners involved in this project. Outputs • Inventory of existing information and associated sources for the following thematic areas: seabed geomorphology and habitat, oceanography, species and habitats, affected indigenous communities, ongoing monitoring needs and associated best practices, potential impacts of installation and operation [data inventory] • Final project report [written]