Sledge-Sampling, Identification and reporting of sandy seafloor epilauna - a component of the habitat and sediment survey east of Barrow Island (B1.29)

Task leader: Dr Kerry Neil, Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries

Task associate: 3rd Party Contract.

Objectives

• Sledge dredge for sampling Epifauna on generally coarse sandy seafloor, as a component of the Gorgon seafloor habitat survey by a joint URS-SKN-BBG diving team to be supervised by Oceanics Offshore.

• Approximately 30 of the 45 planned diving sites are planned to be sampled by 200m sledge transects. The decision to sample at each site will be made in the field based on the seafloor topography.

• A report to URS will include a description of the methods, a table of the sample locations and the results and comments on the distribution of the sampled benthos.