WAMSI NORTH WEST MARINE SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM
21 February 2013
WA Maritime MUSEUM
CMST, Remote Sensing, Department of Applied Geology,
Agriculture and Environment Departments/Centres

CENTRE FOR
MARINE SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY (CMST)
• WA IMOS (Integrated Marine
Observing System): collect ocean noise data sets to link with various physical, biological, man-made and climate driven processes
• Dolphin acoustics in the northwest (WAMSI II project: joint project with Murdoch)
• Acoustic assessment of habitat and abundance in the Northern Demersal
Scalefish Fishery
• Sydney/Kormoran Project: To create an immersive, virtual museum experience using deep sea imagine of the story of two ships that sank each other in 1941 (collaboration with UWA)
WWW.CMST.CURTIN.EDU.AU

An acoustic assessment of habitat and abundance in the Northern
Demersal Scalefish Fishery – FRDC Project 2011/022
Collaborators: CMST, Curtin; Kimberley Wildcatch, Licensee; Department of Fisheries, WA
Methods:
Attach a multifrequency (18, 38,
120 and 200 kHz) scientific, splitbeam sonar system to a commercial vessel and collect acoustic backscatter during routine operations.
Objectives:
1. Characterise seafloor habitat associated with high fish abundance and fishing effort distribution;
2. Identify possible locations of significant biomass outside current areas of commercial effort;
3. Determine relative demersal fish biomass and investigate changes through time.
To date:
1. >15,000 km of acoustic data collected.
2. Video ground-truth data on habitat and fish.
3. Observed spatial relationships for acoustic habitats and in-water biomass.

WAMSI II Project 1.2.4 Distribution, abundance and genetic connectivity of
Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins across the Kimberley
Murdoch University, Australian National University & Curtin University joint project
Aims
• Carry out concurrent passive acoustic and visual observations of dolphins
• Correlate acoustic and visual detection rates and behaviour
• Integrate both acoustic and visual data to validate species presence and correlate with relative abundance
• Investigate geographic variation of humpback and snubfin vocalisations.
Locations
Roebuck Bay, Cygnet Bay and Beagle Bay
Begins
April 2013
Courtesy of Deborah Thiele

Aug – Oct 2009
Scientific Studies
Fish health assessed by biochemical measurements in various organs
Ecotoxicology Group, Curtin University
Four fish samplings conducted:
Nov 2009-Nov 2011
(total 90 days at sea)
Results show trend towards recovery by
2011
Full Report available on SEWPaC website http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/oilspil l/scientific-monitoring.html#four

fish health
- growth
- bioaccumulation
- geographical extent of impact
- 2013 onwards
Ecotoxicology Group, Curtin University

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1
Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
Description of macrotidal reefs:
• Remote sensing and ground truth
• Seismic mapping
• Holocene sea level curve and climate history
– reef building communities
– chronology and growth patterns
– History of sea level: oceanographic and biological evolution; substrate/reef growth interactions

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1
Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
Description of macrotidal reefs:
• Remote sensing and ground truth regional geomorphology growth patterns and substrates of inshore reefs
© A. Sandes. Montgomery Reef

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1
Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
Description of macrotidal reefs:
• Remote sensing and ground truth
• Seismic mapping
Collins et al., 2010

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1
Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
Description of macrotidal reefs:
• Remote sensing and ground truth
• Seismic mapping
• Holocene sea level curve and climate history
Holocene highstand at 6ka
(+0.7/2.5m, Nakada & Lambeck, 1989 )
Present SL
Stable
Holocene
Highstand
Transgression
LGM Lowstand
Twiggs & Collins,
2010

http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1

• Kimberley wide database of reefs: classification based on Hopley et al (2007).
• Types of morphology differ distinctly from eastern
Australian reefs
Juvenile
Montgomery Reef
Mature
Senile

• CMST: Chandra Salgado Kent
C.Salgado@cmst.curtin.edu.au
• Curtin University, Department Environment and
Agriculture: Monique Gagnon
M.Gagnon@curtin.edu.au
• Curtin University, Department of Applied
Geology: Lindsay Collins L.Collins@curtin.edu.au
• Curtin University, Remote Sensing and Satellite
Research Group: Peter Fearns
P.Fearns@exchange.curtin.edu.au