Nicole Hill*, E Lawrence, J Dambacher, A Williams, N Barrett, J Hulls, B Barker, S Nichol, V Lucieer, F Althaus, J Kool and K R Hayes Designing long-term monitoring programs in offshore CMRs: Applying a novel sampling design to inventory biological assets

Background Announcement of Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) network June 2012 Need for developing monitoring framework in management plans

Challenges for designing monitoring programs Flexible framework to accommodate: Variable (but mostly limited) knowledge on the spatial distribution of habitats and biodiversity attributes Dual purpose- inventory and change detection Multiple and different objectives between CMR’s Potential for changing objectives Logistical constraints of ship-based surveys Non-extractive sampling and assessment

Flinders CMR: A case study Declared June 2007 Continental Shelf: Largely unmapped Little known about spatial location of habitats and biota Slope Slope extensively mapped, but habitats and biota not well sampled

Flinders CMR Objectives 1) Develop and apply a spatially-balanced survey design, for the purposes of inventory and monitoring of conservation values Invertebrate mega-benthos: -Sponges, corals, bryozoan thickets Commercially important fish: -Striped Trumpeter, Rock Lobster, Jackass Morwong Low productivity, highly impacted species: -Sharks, rays and skates

Approach- GRTS Trialling a probabilistic, spatially-balanced survey design called Generalised Random Tessellated Stratified (GRTS) Stevens & Olsen Journal of the American Statistical Association. Vol. 99, Allows unbiased estimates of value of interest across entire region

Phase 1: Habitat Phase 2: Biota 1 km

What fish assemblages are present on the Flinders CMR Shelf? A B CD E F G Bray-Curtis Similarity

What fish assemblages are present on the Flinders CMR Shelf? A B

C D

E G

How do these assemblage relate to environmental factors? Group

Distribution of assemblages across the shelf? Sediment-Deep Sediment- Shallow Sediment-Reef Edge Reef- Reef Edge Reef- Deep Reef-Shallow Video link

Distribution of assemblages across the shelf? Sediment-Deep Sediment- Shallow Sediment-Reef Edge Reef- Reef Edge Reef- Deep Reef-Shallow Video link

Distribution of assemblages across the shelf? Sediment-Deep Sediment- Shallow Sediment-Reef Edge Reef- Reef Edge Reef- Deep Reef-Shallow Video link

Richness patterns across the shelf? Model R ²= 0.685

Distribution of key species?

Results Summary First assessment of fish assemblages on Flinders CMR shelf Distinct assemblages present Associated with substrate type and other environmental factors Patterns also evident in species richness and distribution of key species of interest

Lessons Learnt 2 phase GRTS enabled spatial balance within logistical and practical constraints of deploying BRUVs across a vast area GRTS more challenging to apply, but likely to have missed spatial patterns in fish assemblages and diversity otherwise Prospectively good combination of techniques for long term monitoring - cost-effective, non-extractive, flexibile, high power for extrapolation Comprehensive mapping of CMR estate an ultimate aim, but still gain important biological insights Standardisation and comparability between area Transportable to deeper ocean (large portion of CMRs)

Where to from here? Calculate inclusion probabilities for sites and develop method for calculating variance Apply method to estimate relative abundances of key species and assemblages Examine length information for key and commercial species Evaluate different gear types for targeting fish species Assess potential indicator species Make recommendations for monitoring of fish species

Nicole Hill University of Tasmania Hobart, Tasmania /science/nerp/hubs.html Questions???