Identifying and conserving seascape nurseries on the Great Barrier Reef
Conference Contribution ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Many juvenile reef fish use alternative habitats as nurseries, but despite decades of research on nursery function, these habitats and their interconnections are often overlooked in coastal conservation. This is because coastal habitats are largely studied in isolation, and there are little data to identify and describe key seascape linkages at scales that are relevant to management. This project addresses these shortcomings by surveying juvenile fishes in the full diversity of inshore habitats on the Great Barrier Reef. It is one component of the wider Integrated Reef Fish Monitoring Program for the GBR, and has been designed and implemented with Traditional Owners to integrate their perspectives on seascapes nurseries. Fish are surveyed with stereo Remote Underwater Video Stations, and on each survey event we complete 900 deployments along 200km of coastline. The survey program has revealed diverse fish assemblages from a range of habitats on the inshore GBR, many of which had not been surveyed previously, and provides a platform that delivers hands-on training for local Sea Rangers. We have identified habitats, and seascape connections, that are critical for the juveniles of species that are of high fisheries, conservation and cultural significance. Our findings illustrate how the functions of nursery habitats depend on their ecological condition, conservation status and spatial context in wider coastal seascapes. We suggest that a deeper understanding patterns of seascape nursery use is needed to better support coastal management decisions for fish and fish habitats.
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ASFB 2023: Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference 2023
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1
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Australian Society for Fish Biology
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Auckland, New Zealand
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