| Summary: | Maintenance and Update Frequency: irregular Statement: Line transects 50 m in length are laid along a depth contour. Densities of fishes are recorded along duplicate 50 m x 5 m transects. For this, the diver swims at 2.5 m from the transect line, recording all fish 2.5 m to either side, replicating this for both sides of the transect line. Large invertebrates such as rock lobsters, abalone and sea urchins are recorded within duplicate 50 m x 1 m blocks along the transect. For this the diver searches a 1 m strip to one side of the transect line (brushing away algae, searching crevices etc) recording invertebrates > 2.5 cm, and also recording cryptic fish (that would have been missed in the fish swim). GPS location, date, time, depth and visibility are also recorded. A Standardized Survey Procedures for Monitoring Reef Ecosystems is under revision, please contact the project for access (reeflife.survey@utas.edu.au). Credit Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) Program, an Australian Government initiative supporting world class, public good research - Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Credit Marine Biodiversity Hub, a collaborative partnership supported through the Australian Government’s National Environmental Research Program (NERP) Credit Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania Credit Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania Credit People and Parks Foundation Credit Caring for our Country, Community CoastCare Grant Credit NRM and local management boards around Australia Credit State Marine Biodiversity Management Agencies around Australia Credit Trained volunteer diver network Purpose The dataset generated by recreational divers provides a national framework for monitoring the state of the inshore environment and the identification of those threats and locations of greatest conservation concern. The project also increases awareness and interest by the recreational diving community in ...
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