Tools

Between 2003 and 2006, scientists from the Great Barrier Reef Seabed Biodiversity Project will collect samples at approximately 1,500 sites in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Starting in September 2003, the Australian Institute of Marine Science research vessel RV Lady Basten will do six cruises and spend 120 days at sea collecting video, sled and sediment samples.

The Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries vessel, FRV Gwendoline May, will spend 90 days at sea in the same period collecting scientific trawl samples from appropriate zones.

Several methods will be used to get the most accurate picture of life on the seabed. Non-extractive sampling methods, such as towed video and baited remote underwater videos (BRUVS) 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 at sites with appropriate zoning.

Using a range of sampling tools will help scientists to:

• map the distribution, abundance and biomass of seabed communities;
• determine the richness and uniqueness of seabed communities;
• identify rare and/or threatened species, habitats and/or communities; and
• assess risk factors for bycatch species.

TOWED VIDEO
Records large plants and animals living on the sea floor. Non-extractive sampling method. Can be used in most areas. Difficult to identify organisms on video to Species level. Used in all Zones of the Marine Park, except Preservation Zones.	Towed video. Photo: CSIRO
BAITED REMOTE UNDERWATER VIDEO STATIONS (BRUVS)
Records large mobile fishes attracted to bait. Non-extractive sampling method. Can be used in most areas. Less useful for plants or animals that are not attracted to a bait. Difficult to identify organisms on video to Species level. Used in all Zones of the Marine Park, except Preservation Zones.	Shark taking bait from a BRUVS. Photo: AIMS
SLED
Collects a sample of plants and animals living on the seabed. Extractive sampling method. Cannot be used on rough ground. Specimens collected by sled used to help identify species recorded on video. Used only in General Use and Habitat Protection (light and dark blue) zones in the Marine Park.	Sled. Photo: AIMS
SCIENTIFIC TRAWL
Collects a sample of smaller fishes and mobile invertebrates. Extractive sampling method. Cannot be used on rough ground. Trawl samples provide quantitative data on biomass, which estimates the risk for bycatch species when compared with commercial trawl data. Specimens collected by trawls help identify species recorded on video. Used only in General Use and Habitat Protection (light and dark blue) zones in the Marine Park.	Scientific trawl. Photo: CSIRO

Protecting sea turtles while trawl sampling

Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) and Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) will not be fitted to the scientific trawl because the study needs to quantify the abundance of marine life living on the seabed at each site. TEDs and BRDs are effective at excluding non-target species, so using them would result in an incomplete sample of biodiversity

As a result, scientific trawls will last only 20 minutes. This is briefer than a normal commercial trawl and should ensure that any captured turtles will not drown. If a turtle is caught, its health will be checked, it will be tagged for future monitoring and it will be returned to the water alive. Information on such captures will be given to management agencies to assist turtle conservation.