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EXPLORING LIFE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA16 September 2003 The RV Lady Basten leaves port tomorrow to explore life on the Great Barrier Reef sea floor. Information gathered during the three-year Great Barrier Reef Seabed Biodiversity Project will help managers conserve important habitats and biodiversity in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and ensure that fisheries within the Marine Park are ecologically sustainable. “While some parts of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, such as coral reefs, are relatively well understood, less is known about the number and types of organisms that live in deeper parts of the world’s largest marine protected area,” said CRC Reef Program Leader, Dr Peter Doherty from the Australian Institute of Marine Science. “In this three-year project, we will be mapping sea floor habitats and their associated life across the length and breadth of the Marine Park,” he said. “Our surveys will add much more detail to bioregional maps of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and will help managers to protect populations of special importance. The project will also provide a snap shot of the plants and animals on the seabed throughout the Marine Park, which can be used as a baseline against which to monitor changes in the future, for example after the implementation of the Representative Areas Program.” Queensland legislation requires that all fishing in the Marine Park is consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Although trawlers now use devices that are effective in reducing the catch of non-target species, the impact of trawling is still unknown for most species. “The Project will assist fisheries managers to ensure that ongoing harvests meet the conditions of ecologically sustainable development. It will also provide more accurate stock assessments for fish that have significant populations on deep shoal grounds,” said Dr Doherty. Between 2003 and 2006, scientists will collect samples at approximately 1,500 sites in the Marine Park. Several methods will be used to get the most accurate picture of life on the seabed. Non-extractive sampling methods, such as towed and baited videos will be used at most sites. To gather more detailed information about the plants and animals living on the seabed, a small epibenthic sled and a scientific trawl will be used to collect samples from sites with appropriate zoning in the Marine Park. The Australian Institute of Marine Science vessel, RV Lady Basten, will spend at least 120 days over three years collecting video, sled and sediment samples. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries vessel, FRV Gwendoline May, will spend 90 days during the same period conducting scientific trawl sampling in appropriate Zones in the Marine Park. The Great Barrier Reef Seabed Biodiversity Project is funded by CRC Reef Research Centre, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, and the National Oceans Office. It is co-funded by the Australian Institute of Marine Science, CSIRO Marine Research, CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences, Queensland Dept of Primary Industries, and the Queensland Museum. For more information click here Or contact: |
