| Summary: | Australia's Census of Antarctic Marine Life project. This project is a part of the international "Census of Antarctic Marine Life" (CAML) which was conducted during the International Polar Year. It was a collaborative contribution by Australia and France to understand the biodiversity of the oceans surrounding Antarctica, with particular emphasis on the fishes of the eastern part of the Australian Antarctic Territory. The biodiversity data, when added to that obtained by all other nations participating in the CAML, serves as a robust reference for future examinations of the health of the Southern Ocean, and assists in the conservation and management of the region. Field sampling for this project was undertaken in the 2007/08 season, commencing in December and finishing in February 2008. Three ships surveyed the area with a range of traditional and modern sampling gear, including IYGPT (International Young Gadoid Pelagic Trawl (marine science equipment)) gear. Quality: Field work: All field work for CEAMARC was completed. Aurora Australis - 20 on-site ship days during the 42-day V3/CEAMARC CASO Voyage between 139 degrees and 145 degrees E and 67 degrees and 65 degrees 20' S. Sampling was conducted with AAD beam trawl (AADBT) (mounted with either video or still camera), Agassiz beam trawl, box corer the Geoscience Australia's remotely operated video and CTD, with occasional samples using an epibenthic sledge. 88 sites were sampled. Umitaka Maru - 15 on-site ship days between 140 degrees and 145 degrees E and south of 62 degrees S. Sampling was conducted at various fixed depths between the surface and 2,000 m using WP2, Norpac, and salp plankton nets, multinet, RMT1+8 midwater trawl, IYGPT midwater trawl, as well as a video plankton profiler and CTDs. This produced more than 300 plankton/fish net samples at 24 sites. 31 CTD casts were made with phytoplankton and water samples collected at set depths at each site for 264 phytoplankton samples. L'Astrolabe - 10 on-site ship days between 140 degrees and 145 degrees ...
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