This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 266 to central Torres Strait. The survey was undertaken to investigate the seabed geomorphology and sedimentary processes in the vicinity of Turnagain Island and to infer the possible effects (if any) on the distribution, abundance and survival of seagrasses. The Turnagain Island region was chosen because it is a known site of recent widespread seagrass dieback. The present survey is the first of two by Geoscience Australia to be carried out in 2004 and is part of a larger field-based program managed by the Reef CRC aimed at identifying and quantifying the principal physical and biological processes operating in Torres Strait. The impetus for the program is the threat of widespread seagrass dieback and its effects on local dugong and turtle populations and the implications for indigenous islander communities.

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 266 to central Torres Strait. The survey was undertaken to investigate the seabed geomorphology and sedimentary processes in the vicinity of Turnagain Island and to infer the possible effects (if any) on the distribution, abundance and survival of seagrasses. The Turnagain Island region was chosen because it is a known site of recent widespread seagrass dieback. The present survey is the first of two by Geoscience Australia to be carried out in 2004 and is part of a larger field-based program managed by the Reef CRC aimed at identifying and quantifying the principal physical and biological processes operating in Torres Strait. The impetus for the program is the threat of widespread seagrass dieback and its effects on local dugong and turtle populations and the implications for indigenous islander communities.

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 266 to central Torres Strait. The survey was undertaken to investigate the seabed geomorphology and sedimentary processes in the vicinity of Turnagain Island and to infer the possible effects (if any) on the distribution, abundance and survival of seagrasses. The Turnagain Island region was chosen because it is a known site of recent widespread seagrass dieback. The present survey is the first of two by Geoscience Australia to be carried out in 2004 and is part of a larger field-based program managed by the Reef CRC aimed at identifying and quantifying the principal physical and biological processes operating in Torres Strait. The impetus for the program is the threat of widespread seagrass dieback and its effects on local dugong and turtle populations and the implications for indigenous islander communities.

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 266 to central Torres Strait. The survey was undertaken to investigate the seabed geomorphology and sedimentary processes in the vicinity of Turnagain Island and to infer the possible effects (if any) on the distribution, abundance and survival of seagrasses. The Turnagain Island region was chosen because it is a known site of recent widespread seagrass dieback. The present survey is the first of two by Geoscience Australia to be carried out in 2004 and is part of a larger field-based program managed by the Reef CRC aimed at identifying and quantifying the principal physical and biological processes operating in Torres Strait. The impetus for the program is the threat of widespread seagrass dieback and its effects on local dugong and turtle populations and the implications for indigenous islander communities.

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 273 to northwest Torres Strait. This survey was undertaken as part of a research program within the Torres Strait CRC aimed at understanding marine biophysical processes in Torres Strait and their effect on seagrass habitats. Two Geoscience Australia surveys were undertaken as part of this program, survey 266 measured monsoon season conditions (Heap et al., 2005), and survey 273 measured trade wind conditions. Section 6 compares and contrasts the survey results acquired for both surveys. Section 7 addresses the results of the survey program in light of the objectives of the CRC proposal. Survey 273 acquired numerous different data types to assist with characterising the mobile sediments and hydrodynamic nature of the region. Multibeam sonar, current meters, grab samples, vibro-cores, underwater video, meteorological data (from the Bureau of Meteorology), Landsat imagery, were all used to characterise the seabed hydrodynamics of Torres Strait.

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 273 to northwest Torres Strait. This survey was undertaken as part of a research program within the Torres Strait CRC aimed at understanding marine biophysical processes in Torres Strait and their effect on seagrass habitats. Two Geoscience Australia surveys were undertaken as part of this program, survey 266 measured monsoon season conditions (Heap et al., 2005), and survey 273 measured trade wind conditions. Section 6 compares and contrasts the survey results acquired for both surveys. Section 7 addresses the results of the survey program in light of the objectives of the CRC proposal. Survey 273 acquired numerous different data types to assist with characterising the mobile sediments and hydrodynamic nature of the region. Multibeam sonar, current meters, grab samples, vibro-cores, underwater video, meteorological data (from the Bureau of Meteorology), Landsat imagery, were all used to characterise the seabed hydrodynamics of Torres Strait.

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 273 to northwest Torres Strait. This survey was undertaken as part of a research program within the Torres Strait CRC aimed at understanding marine biophysical processes in Torres Strait and their effect on seagrass habitats. Two Geoscience Australia surveys were undertaken as part of this program, survey 266 measured monsoon season conditions (Heap et al., 2005), and survey 273 measured trade wind conditions. Section 6 compares and contrasts the survey results acquired for both surveys. Section 7 addresses the results of the survey program in light of the objectives of the CRC proposal. Survey 273 acquired numerous different data types to assist with characterising the mobile sediments and hydrodynamic nature of the region. Multibeam sonar, current meters, grab samples, vibro-cores, underwater video, meteorological data (from the Bureau of Meteorology), Landsat imagery, were all used to characterise the seabed hydrodynamics of Torres Strait.

This report contains the preliminary results of Geoscience Australia survey 273 to northwest Torres Strait. This survey was undertaken as part of a research program within the Torres Strait CRC aimed at understanding marine biophysical processes in Torres Strait and their effect on seagrass habitats. Two Geoscience Australia surveys were undertaken as part of this program, survey 266 measured monsoon season conditions (Heap et al., 2005), and survey 273 measured trade wind conditions. Section 6 compares and contrasts the survey results acquired for both surveys. Section 7 addresses the results of the survey program in light of the objectives of the CRC proposal. Survey 273 acquired numerous different data types to assist with characterising the mobile sediments and hydrodynamic nature of the region. Multibeam sonar, current meters, grab samples, vibro-cores, underwater video, meteorological data (from the Bureau of Meteorology), Landsat imagery, were all used to characterise the seabed hydrodynamics of Torres Strait.

CMAR has conducted a number of stock assessment surveys for finfish, beche-de-mer and trochus on the reefs of Torres Strait. During the course of the suveys, habitat data was also collected albeit at a coarser level of taxonomic resolution. The primary objective of this study was to characterise the reefs of Torres Strait in terms of the biological and habitat data collected during these surveys and to relate the nature of the reefs to the available physical data. Information collated for this study included comprehensive datasets on reef fish, beche-de-mer and seagrass; most of which was identified to species level. Information on corals and algae was based on visual estimates of percentage cover morphotypes. Little data on the other reef biota was collected. SOURCE_DATASET CRUISE_ID CRUISE_NAME CRUISE_YEAR RRI1 HE01 Reef Resource Inventory HE01 1995 RRI2 HE02 Reef Resource Inventory HE02 1995 WR95 WRS Warrior survey 1995 1995 RRI3 JK01 Reef Resource Inventory JK01 1996 RRI4 JK02 Reef Resource Inventory JK02 1996 WR96 WRS Warrior survey 1996 1996 WR98 WRS Warrior survey 1998 1998 WR00 WRS Warrior survey 2000 2000 ETS2 ETS2 East Torres Strait 2002 2002 WE02 WRS Warrior survey 2002 2002 WR04 WRS Warrior survey 2004 2004 ETS5 ETS5 East Torres Strait 2005 2005

An oceanographic survey of the Gulf of Papua and Torres Strait was undertaken in November and early December 1979, prior to the monsoon season. In the Gulf of Papua, sampling positions were selected to measure the diffusion of river water into the Gulf. An additional transect was made through the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon (from the Coral Sea to slightly west of Torres Strait) in a preliminary examination of zooplankton production. This dataset contains temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic and organic nutrient, chlorophyll and phaeophytin data from a range of depths at the 45 stations sampled during this survey. Zooplankton abundance data is also available for 12 stations.Comparisons of AIMS and CSIRO sampling and analytical methods were also made at an intercalibration station in the Coral Sea off Raine Entrance. The Gulf of Papua is bordered by a coastline of very high productivity with extensive mangrove forests, and is the catchment area for massive freshwater runoff from the Fly, Turama, Aird and Purari River systems. The adjoining Torres Strait forms a potential pathway for transport of waters between the Arafura Sea and the Coral Sea. The effects of water circulation in this region on the reef ecosystems is of considerable scientific interest. A number of additional studies of currents and water movements were also undertaken simultaneously with this cruise, within these waters and the northern region of the Great Barrier Reef. Measurements of the discharge of streams flowing into the Gulf of Papua were programmed by the Office of Minerals and Energy of Papua New Guinea. A CSIRO buoy was also released from RV Lady Basten in the Gulf of Papua during this period and tracked by satellite. The Coastal Zone Colour Scanner on board NOAA satellite Nimbus-7 was programmed for operation over the northern Great Barrier Reef during the cruise. Moored current meters and water level recorders were also deployed by AIMS for several weeks in this period at various locations in the northern region of the Great Barrier Reef. Towards the conclusion of this cruise, geophysical tows were made by the Australian Department of Mineral Resources in the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, south of 11°S. The AIMS components of these additional studies are described separately.