CURTIN’S NORTHWEST MARINE RESEARCH

WAMSI NORTH WEST MARINE SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM

21 February 2013WA Maritime MUSEUM

CMST, Remote Sensing, Department of Applied Geology, Agriculture and Environment Departments/Centres

CENTRE FOR MARINE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (CMST)

WWW.CMST.CURTIN.EDU.AU

• 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 oceannoise 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 1.2.4 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 BayLocations

Begins April 2013

Courtesy of Deborah Thiele

Montara Oil Spill, Timor SeaAug – Oct 2009 Scientific StudiesScientific 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 websitehttp://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/oilspi

ll/scientific-monitoring.html#four

Ecotoxicology Group, Curtin University

Environmental costs of PFW discharge from

offshore facilities- fish health

- growth - bioaccumulation

- geographical extent of impact- 2013 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 1.3.1Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/

WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Growth 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

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/

© A. Sandes. Montgomery Reef

Description of macrotidal reefs:• Remote sensing and ground truth• Seismic mapping

WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/

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 1.3.1Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/

Present SL

LGM Lowstand

Transgression

StableHolocene Highstand

Holocene highstand at 6ka(+0.7/2.5m, Nakada & Lambeck, 1989)

WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Drowning History

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/

• 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 C.Salgado@cmst.curtin.edu.au

• Curtin University, Department Environment and Agriculture: Monique Gagnon M.Gagnon@curtin.edu.au

• Curtin University, Department of Applied Geology: Lindsay Collins L.Collins@curtin.edu.au

• Curtin University, Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group: Peter Fearns P.Fearns@exchange.curtin.edu.au

Contacts