CURTIN’S NORTHWEST MARINE RESEARCH WAMSI NORTH WEST MARINE SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM 21 February 2013 WA Maritime MUSEUM CMST, Remote Sensing, Department of Applied Geology, Agriculture and Environment Departments/Centres

CENTRE FOR MARINE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (CMST) Dolphin acoustics in the northwest (WAMSI II project: joint project with Murdoch) Sydney/Kormoran Project: To create an immersive, virtual museum experience using deep sea imagine of the story of two ships that sank each other in 1941 (collaboration with UWA) Acoustic assessment of habitat and abundance in the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery WA IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System): collect ocean noise data sets to link with various physical, biological, man-made and climate driven processes

An acoustic assessment of habitat and abundance in the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery – FRDC Project 2011/022 Collaborators: CMST, Curtin; Kimberley Wildcatch, Licensee; Department of Fisheries, WA Objectives: 1.Characterise seafloor habitat associated with high fish abundance and fishing effort distribution; 2.Identify possible locations of significant biomass outside current areas of commercial effort; 3.Determine relative demersal fish biomass and investigate changes through time. Methods: Attach a multi- frequency (18, 38, 120 and 200 kHz) scientific, split- beam sonar system to a commercial vessel and collect acoustic backscatter during routine operations. To date: 1.>15,000 km of acoustic data collected.2. Video ground-truth data on habitat and fish. 3.Observed spatial relationships for acoustic habitats and in-water biomass.

WAMSI II Project Distribution, abundance and genetic connectivity of Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins across the Kimberley Murdoch University, Australian National University & Curtin University joint project Carry out concurrent passive acoustic and visual observations of dolphins Correlate acoustic and visual detection rates and behaviour Integrate both acoustic and visual data to validate species presence and correlate with relative abundance Investigate geographic variation of humpback and snubfin vocalisations. Aims Roebuck Bay, Cygnet Bay and Beagle Bay Locations Begins April 2013 Courtesy of Deborah Thiele

Montara Oil Spill, Timor Sea Aug – Oct 2009 Scientific Studies Scientific Studies Fish health assessed by biochemical measurements in various organs Four fish samplings conducted: Nov 2009-Nov 2011 (total 90 days at sea) Results show trend towards recovery by 2011 Full Report available on SEWPaC website l/scientific-monitoring.html#four l/scientific-monitoring.html#four Ecotoxicology Group, Curtin University

Environmental costs of PFW discharge from offshore facilities - fish health - growth - bioaccumulation - geographical extent of impact onwards Ecotoxicology Group, Curtin University

Description of macrotidal reefs: Remote sensing and ground truth Seismic mapping Holocene sea level curve and climate history – reef building communities – chronology and growth patterns – History of sea level: oceanographic and biological evolution; substrate/reef growth interactions WAMSI II Project Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region

WAMSI II Project Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region regional geomorphology growth patterns and substrates of inshore reefs Description of macrotidal reefs: Remote sensing and ground truth © A. Sandes. Montgomery Reef

Description of macrotidal reefs: Remote sensing and ground truth Seismic mapping WAMSI II Project Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region Collins et al., 2010

Description of macrotidal reefs: Remote sensing and ground truth Seismic mapping Holocene sea level curve and climate history Twiggs & Collins, 2010 WAMSI II Project Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region Present SL LGM Lowstand Transgression Stable Holocene Highstand Holocene highstand at 6ka (+0.7/2.5m, Nakada & Lambeck, 1989 )

WAMSI II Project Drowning History

Kimberley wide database of reefs: classification based on Hopley et al (2007). Types of morphology differ distinctly from eastern Australian reefs Juvenile Mature Senile Montgomery Reef

CMST: Chandra Salgado Kent Curtin University, Department Environment and Agriculture: Monique Gagnon Curtin University, Department of Applied Geology: Lindsay Collins Curtin University, Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group: Peter Fearns Contacts