Scientific Audit of Marine Parks – Background information
relating to DPI (Fisheries) outputs considered to have
direct relevance to MPAs
This summary and associated references relate to the following Terms of Reference:
“Review the specific science relating to the effectiveness of marine parks in
protecting different habitat types and recommend further action and/or alternative
management arrangements if necessary”
“Review the degree to which all threats to the varying types of marine environments
have been properly identified and prioritised. In doing this the panel will consider the
degree to which the marine parks process is anticipated to address each significant
threat”
Department of Primary Industries contacts:
Dr Bob Creese, Research Leader, Aquatic Ecosystems,
bob.creese@industry.nsw.gov.au
tel: 02 4916 3806
mob: 0419 204 967
Prof. Steve Kennelly, Chief Scientist, Director Fisheries Research
steve.kennelly@industry.nsw.gov.au
tel: 02 9527 8532
mob: 0418 290 960
Most outputs directly relating to marine protected areas in NSW over the past decade or so
have been done under the auspices of the Marine Parks Authority and have been captured in
the MPA’s Outputs Database. This material has been summarized in 2 separate Context
Documents (‘Ecologically Sustainable Use’ and ‘Biodiversity and Ecological Processes’).
There has been input from Fisheries researchers into much of this work, at least up until
2007, either by way of direct involvement or through advice provided through the former
‘Marine Parks Research Committee’. The small amount of additional research specifically
targeted at marine protected areas is summarized here.
An early output was directed at Aquatic Reserves (Otway 1999). These 12 MPAs are much
smaller than Marine Parks and they were managed by NSW Fisheries/DPI up until 2007
when the then DECCW took over their management. Another early output identified the
challenges facing researchers within marine protected areas (Creese & Breen 2003).
Some outputs relate to thesis research by postgraduate students but with direct involvement
of a DPI researcher (eg Newton 2008, Barker 2009). Others relate to research on Grey
Nurse Sharks (eg Otway et al 2000, 2003, 2009; Barker et al 2011), a critically endangered
species along the NSW coast and a species for which protection within Marine Parks is a
prime consideration. Other outputs relate to habitat mapping in estuaries (Creese et al 2009,
Astles et al 2010), work which was designed to complement the offshore mapping work done
by Jordan et al (see background information on Biodiversity and Ecological Processes).
Finally, a couple of projects, some ongoing, have sought to categorize risks within the marine
environment (Astles 2008, 2009, Astles et al 2010) or to model ecological linkages (Savina et
al 2009)
All these outputs relate in some way to the topics ‘Biodiversity and Ecological Processes’ or
‘Ecologically Sustainable Use’ which are used in categorizing MPA research.
Scientific Audit of NSW Marine Parks: Background information relating to DPI (Fisheries) outputs
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Bibliography –
NSW DPI outputs directly relating to marine protected areas in NSW
Published reports and papers:
Otway, N.M., 1999. Identification of candidate sites for declaration of aquatic reserves for the conservation of rocky intertidal communities in
the Hawkesbury Shelf and Batemans Shelf Bioregions. Fisheries Final Report Series No. 28, 88pp.
Creese, R.G. & Breen, D.A. 2003. Marine Protected Areas in NSW: challenges for research. Pp 120-128 in Conserving marine environments;
out of sight out of mind edited by Pat Hutchings and Dan Lunney. Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Mosman, NSW.
Otway, N.M. and Parker, P.C., 2000. The biology, ecology, distribution, abundance and identification of marine protected areas for the
conservation of threatened Grey Nurse Sharks in south east Australian waters. Fisheries Final report Series No. 19, 101pp.
Otway, N.M., Burke, A.L., Morrison, NS. and Parker, P.C., 2003. Monitoring and identification of NSW Critical Habitat Sites for conservation of
Grey Nurse Sharks. Final Report to Environment Australia. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series No. 47, 58pp.
Ferrell, D.J., 2005. Biological information for appropriate management of endemic fish species at Lord Howe Island. Fisheries Final Report
Series No. 76, 18pp.
Astles, K.L., Holloway, M.G., Steffe, A., Green, M., Ganassin, C. and Gibbs, P.J., 2006. An ecological method for qualitative risk assessment
and its use in the management of fisheries in New South Wales, Australia. Fisheries Research, 82: 290-303.
Newton, K.L., Creese, R.G. and Raftos, R. 2007. Spatial patterns of ascidian assemblages on rocky reefs in the Port-Stephens – Great Lakes
Marine Park, NSW. Marine & Freshwater Research, 58: 843–855.
Astles, K., 2008. A systematic approach to estimating ecological risks in marine fisheries. CAB Reviews: Perspectives in agriculture, veterinary
science, nutrition and natural resources, 3(45): 1–16.
Astles, K.A., Gibbs, P.J., Steffe, A.S. and Green, M., 2009. A qualitative risk-based assessment of impacts on marine habitats and harvested
species for a data deficient wild capture fishery. Biological Conservation, 142: 2759–2773.
Scientific Audit of NSW Marine Parks: Background information relating to DPI (Fisheries) outputs
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Savina, M., Fulton, B., Condie, S., Forrest, R., Scandol, J., Astles, K. and Gibbs, P., 2008. Ecologically sustainable development of the regional
marine and estuarine resources of NSW: Modelling of the NSW continental shelf ecosystem. Published by CSIRO
Otway, N.M., Storrie, M.T., Louden, B.M. and Gilligan, J.J., 2009. Documentation of depth-related migratory movements, localised movements
at critical habitat sites and the effects of scuba diving for the east coast grey nurse shark population. Fisheries Final Report Series No. 112,
90pp.
Creese, R.G., Glasby, T.M., West, G. and Gallen, C., 2009. Mapping the habitats of NSW estuaries. Fisheries Final Report Series 113, 95pp.
Astles, K., West, G., and Creese, R.G., 2010. Estuarine habitat mapping and geomorphic characterisation of the Lower Hawkesbury river and
Pittwater estuaries. Fisheries Final Report Series No. 117, 229pp.
Barker, S.M., Peddemors, V.M. and Williamson, J.E., 2011. Recreational SCUBA diver interactions with the critically endangered grey nurse
shark Carcharias taurus. Pacific Conservation Biology, 16: 261-269.
Unpublished reports and theses:
Barker, S., 2009. Monitoring diver impacts and movement patterns of the grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus, through non-invasive
techniques. Honours Thesis, Macquarie University.
Newton, K.L. 2009. Patterns of ascidian diversity in subtidal rocky reef habitats of Southeast Australia. PhD thesis, Macquarie University. 256
pp
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