South Australia’s Marin Parks expedition research #newsADL

A diver on the two-week marine park expedition surveys a reef, where Australian sea lions play. Picture: Antonia Cooper.
Source: Supplied

A view from Masillon Island to St Frances Isles near Ceduna. Picture: Supplied.
Source: Supplied

A Harlequin fish found in one of the marine park sanctuaries. Picture: Supplied.
Source: Supplied

THE jewels in the state’s Marine Park crown are beginning to shine, as scientists study the results of a two-week expedition to South Australia’s remote offshore island sanctuary zones.

The State Government completed its first Marine Park expedition – since the parks were proclaimed last October – to collect information about biodiversity and habitats of the zones.

The information will allow the Environment Department to begin to monitor the long-term performance of the marine park network.

South Australia’s Marine Parks state manager Chris Thomas said the research was focused on the zones at St Francis Isles near Ceduna and Cape Du Couedic on the west coast of Kangaroo Island.

“Using two boats, the marine parks monitoring boat T.K. Arnott and MRV Ngerin, we have travelled to these remote locations for the first time since the marine parks became fully operational,” he said.

“Locations for this trip form part of a suite of site monitoring to help assess the long-term performance of the marine parks network.”

Expedition leader Danny Brock said the studies of both sites were positive, but it was the Isle of St Francis sanctuary zone which was the jewel in the state’s marine park crown.

“The fish were diverse, large and abundant with both cold water fish, more common in Tasmania, and warm water fish, more common in Western Australia, found,” Mr Brock said.

He said information was collected using diving surveys, acoustic mapping and baited cameras – video cameras with burley bags in front of them.

“Acoustic mapping generates 3D models of the seabed which we can then classify into habitat types, such as reefs or seagrass,” Mr Brock said.

“Baited cameras sample fish communities and record fish abundance, diversity and size, we then use this information to track changes in and out of the sanctuary zones.

“In addition, reef dive surveys were conducted to provide detailed information about fish and macro-invertebrates on either side off a 200m transect line to assess reef condition and status.”

Environment Minister Ian Hunter said while the sanctuary zones only made up about six per cent of the state’s waters, they protected areas of high conservation value.

“We are very lucky in South Australia with the incredible array of marine species our waters are home to, and sanctuary zones are a key part of preserving that for future generations to enjoy,” he said.

Information collected on the two-week expedition will be analysed and released in coming months.

All of the monitoring methods are consistent with an approach adopted Australia-wide for marine research.

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South Australia’s Marin Parks expedition research #newsADL