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Stream goal
To develop efficient and effective methods to deliver a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean.
Quick links:
- KRQ 3.4.1 Which marine areas need most protection in East Antarctica?
- KRQ 3.4.2 What methods and data are required to define marine areas for protection?
- KRQ 3.4.3 Can we better identify effective stocks, or meta-populations of harvested species to assist with the development of spatial management procedures?
- KRQ 3.4.4 Can areas of high conservation value in the Southern Ocean be identified using proxy data (e.g. sea surface temperature or remotely sensed ocean colour)?
Priorities for this stream currently relate to developing analytical tools and models for use by the Australian Government and CCAMLR to manage and monitor the performance of marine protected areas, including evaluating the sufficiency of existing and proposed marine protected areas for achieving comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness in the face of natural variability and climate change.
No opportunities for dedicated field programs in this stream are planned. However, this does not prevent submission of proposals to address any of these key research questions where field resources can be brought to the project.
Some elements of this plan are being addressed by projects listed below each KRQ. However significant gaps, and hence priorities for research for new proposals in this application round can be identified. Individual areas have been rated for priority (1 or 2) on the basis of urgency, impact or sequencing needs.
Key Research Question
KRQ 3.4.1 Which marine areas need most protection in East Antarctica?
There are no projects currently addressing this question. As the Australian Government proposed a network of marine protected areas in East Antarctica, projects in this KRQ are not sought during the current round.
Key Research Questions
KRQ 3.4.2 What methods and data are required to define marine areas for protection?
KRQ 3.4.4 Can areas of high conservation value in the Southern Ocean be identified using proxy data (e.g. sea surface temperature or remotely sensed ocean colour)?
Projects under these research questions include:
4124 Quantification and prediction of marine biodiversity at a range of geographical and ecological scales for spatial protection and management
4343 Assessing status and trends of marine ecosystems in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean
Research on these two key research questions has moved into a different phase with the completion of the proposal for marine protected areas in East Antarctica in 2011. The focus for these questions now relates to the following subsidiary questions:
- What methods are best for monitoring and reviewing the performance, including size and location, of marine protected areas in East Antarctica and for evaluating whether proposed activities may impact or contribute to cumulative impacts on the objectives of those MPAs in the future?
- What methods may be used to improve identification of areas of high conservation value in the Southern Ocean and how may these results be used to refine management options for marine protected areas?
There are no projects currently addressing these subsidiary questions.
Research is required to do the following:
Outcome 1
Cost-effective research and monitoring program for reviewing the performance, including size and location, of marine protected areas in East Antarctica.
Priorities for new research proposals
- Design a cost-effective research and monitoring program. Priority 1
Approach
- Desk-top study and analyses of existing data and power analyses to evaluate the efficacy of different candidate designs.
- Acquisition and analyses of data from a research and monitoring program for reviewing the performance of marine protected areas. Priority 2
Approach
- Analyses of new data to review the performance of marine protected areas.
Outcomes 2 and 3
Identification of priority areas for development of management measures targeting benthic diversity and ecosystem processes.
Appropriate representation of benthic processes in ecosystem models.
Priorities for new research proposals
- Identify key drivers of patch dynamics, including ecological attributes of habitat forming biota. Priority 2
Approach
Scoping study to identify the key research questions and logistic requirements. - Develop spatial and temporal models for benthic assemblages relevant to the spatial management of fisheries and their ecological impacts. Priority 1
Approach
Spatial modelling using existing datasets to determine key patterns and drivers of marine benthic diversity in Antarctica, especially off East Antarctica. - Evaluate designs for experimental and monitoring programs to estimate key population parameters in dynamic models of benthic taxa, coimmunities and ecosystem processes to predict their likely to responses to impacts from climate change and other anthropogenic disturbance. Priority 1
Approach
- Power analyses of existing or proposed monitoring schemes to determine their utility in assessing the status and trends in Antarctic and subantarctic taxa, communities, habitats, ecosystem processes and services and effectiveness of management responses.
Key Research Question
KRQ 3.4.3 Can we better identify effective stocks, or meta-populations of harvested species to assist with the development of spatial management procedures?
Of particular interest is to identify source areas for harvested or high conservation species that may need spatial protection in the Southern Ocean.
Projects under this research question include:
4037 Experimental krill biology: Response of krill to environmental change
Research is required to do the following:
Outcome
Management measures that take into account important areas for commercial and bycatch species and connectivity or boundaries between stocks.
Priorities for new research proposals
- Analysis of existing data or samples to elucidate critical habitats or processes that link populations of commercial species, particularly krill and Antarctic toothfish. Priority 1
- Evaluation of current spatial management measures used in CCAMLR. Priority 1
Approach
- Studies using oceanographic models and/or syntheses of life stage and genetic data, to assess the potential spawning and nursery locations of krill and Antarctic toothfish.
- Operating models with spatial population and fleet dynamic models to evaluate performance of spatial management measures in CCAMLR.
Please note:
- The Australian Antarctic Program does not have the logistical capability to support all aspects of these implementation plans simultaneously.
- Stream implementation plans represent the current research priorities and approaches.
- Alignment to implementation plans is an important criterion in assessing research proposals. As proposals are being developed, Theme Leaders are available to provide feedback on specific priorities for future years including locations, approaches and opportunities to participate in coordinated field campaigns.
- All approved projects can be viewed on the AAD’s database of current and previous projects.