This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Environmental DNA for measuring offshore marine biodiversity: what can DNA in water collected from the RV Investigator tell us?". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material that is found in the environment. In marine ecosystems eDNA is ubiquitous in seawater and is derived from everything from bacteria to invertebrates and fishes. eDNA can be recovered by filtering water samples and then used it to characterise biodiversity. Using environmental DNA (eDNA) found in seawater to get a snapshot of the species present in an area is an emerging technology with diverse applications in marine ecosystem monitoring. This project will collect a large eDNA dataset during the Southeast Australian Marine Ecosystem Survey (SEA-MES). The eDNA samples will be taken from the RV Investigator throughout the water column at offshore sites stretching from Tasmania to NSW, including sites within the South-east Marine Park Network. The voyage includes parallel collection of biodiversity data using a suite of conventional methods (nets, cameras, and acoustics) which will allow for an assessment of how eDNA compliments these approaches. The project will provide a new baseline and unique eDNA-based perspective on the biodiversity of the southeast Australian marine region. It will also allow for evaluation of eDNA sampling methods and guidance for design of effective, scalable, and non-extractive biomonitoring tools for marine ecosystems. Outputs • eDNA sequences with associated collection metadata (x2 voyages x50 sites) [dataset] • 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. -------------------- Effective management of natural resources and biodiversity requires an integrated understanding of the complex relationships between people and nature. This project reviewed a range of socio-ecological frameworks to identify which system components influence environmental outcomes, and which are most relevant for policy design and behaviour change. A key point of difference from previous NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub projects was an additional theme on implementation pathways, enabling research to inform the full progression from policy to on-ground action. Through a co-design process with stakeholders, the project identified priority social and economic research needs and assessed the availability of relevant datasets to meet them. A key outcome was the identification of three common decision contexts faced by managers—monitoring, trade-off analysis, and promoting behaviour change—and the matching of appropriate frameworks and data to each context. The findings highlight critical data gaps, while providing practical guidance on how existing information can be strategically used to inform management and policy decisions. 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]