Marine monitoring shows no-take reserve helps resist urchin invasion

September 9, 2020

Marine monitoring has shown that Tasmania’s Governor Island Marine Reserve offers some protection against the Long-spined Sea Urchin.

Keywords: 
AUV
rocky reefs
no-take areas
ecological monitoring

Sward, Darryn

Title 
Researcher, PhD Student
Partner Organisation 
University of Tasmania
Address 

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, IMAS Taroona, Nubeena Crescent, Taroona TAS 7053

Email 
darryn.sward@utas.edu.au

Current activities

Port Jackson sharks assemble among the sponge gardens of Beagle Commonwealth Marine Reserve

September 13, 2017

A pilot survey in the Beagle Commonwealth Marine Reserve has found an unusually large group of Port Jackson sharks among sponge-covered deep rocky reefs.

Keywords: 
Beagle Marine Park
Port Jackson sharks
rocky reefs
surveys
sponge gardens
RV Bluefin

Project D3 - Implementing monitoring of AMPs and the status of marine biodiversity assets on the continental shelf

Sponges on rocky reef at Beagle Marine Park
Sponges on a rocky reef at Beagle Marine Park. Image: IMAS/IMOS

Rocky reefs form an important habitat on Australia’s continental shelf and are recognised in marine bioregional plans as key ecological features (KEFs) that support a range of benthic and pelagic marine communities, including migratory species.