Study on the major marine habitats of the proposed Dampier Archipelago/Cape Preston marine conservation reserve.

To document the marine flora and fauna of the Kimberley region, and to make the information available to the public and scientific community. Survey focused on islands and reefs between Montgomery Island and Cassini Island. NOTE: survey boundary was not defined in report

The Montebello Islands were surveyed by the Western Australian Museum (WAM) from 9th-27th August 1993 on behalf of CALM (now Department of Environment and Conservation). All major habitats were sampled by 45 stations for the following fauna: scleractinian coral, echinoderms, molluscs, fishes and crustaceans.

Two surveys were carried out within the environs of the Navy Pier at Exmouth to ascertain the biodiversity of the fish and coral assemblages resident within. This pier is a very popular dive site renowned for the quality (and quantity) of the fish life. The first survey (9 - 11 March 1996) was of species presence/absence while the second survey (2 - 6 April 2001) included abundance estimates of the fish assemblage. The sampling regime for each survey was the same. Two transects were videoed for each pylon included in the survey. Video footage was taken swimming from the surface to the bottom of the pylon on one side and whilst returning to the surface on the opposite side. A total of 17 pylons were surveyed using this technique. General video footage was also taken of the surrounding habitat to help with identification of fish and benthic organisms. The video tapes were analysed using AVTAS - a quantitative benthic analysis package developed by AIMS. A comprehensive list of the fish fauna associated with the pier, dolphins, and immediate surrounds, was obtained through visual census whilst using SCUBA. For the 2001 survey fish numbers were estimated using Log5 abundance categories.

The WA Museum with funding from Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment (SRFME) focused on documenting the fauna of the Central West Coast, Western Australia, specifically the diversity of fishes, molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms, scleractinian corals and sponges. The specific locations were Jurien Bay and Green Head localities with a focus on the Jurien Bay Marine Park, and Cervantes to the South and Dongara to the North.

This report describes the results of the third and final expedition to the Kimberley to document the marine flora and fauna of the area. The expedition took place in November-December 1996 with the assistance of a grant from the National Estates Grant Program. Twenty-four stations were examined. Detailed notes are presented on the station locations and habitat types present. At each station algae, seagrasses, molluscs, fish, crustacea and corals were collected and notes were made on the few mangroves observed in this area. 3.Five areas of particular significance were found. These were: - Station 5, Hedley Island - coral pools, fish, algae and general diversity. - Station 11, Low Water, East Montelivet - extensive coral/coralline reef flat with high diversity coral cover. Large pools, with spectacular coral cover and fish. - Station 13, East side, Cassini Island - geomorphology and coral cover. Station 21, Wild Cat Reefs, eastern reef, west side - high algal diversity. - Station 22, The Breakwater, Montgomery Reef - special reef. This report provides an extensive section outlining the coastal geomorphology of the central Kimberley. There have been no published records of the marine algae which occur in the Kimberley. This report provides details of ca. seventy species collected during the expedition. Coralline algae are poorly known and species in this group are currently being worked on taxonomically. One hundred and forty four species of scleractinian corals, 292 species of molluscs, 89 species of non-caridean decapod crustaceans and 80 species of caridean shrimps, 228 species of fish and 19 barnacles were recorded. Potentially new species were found in several groups. The taxonomy of many of the groups collected is poorly known. Material was obtained for specialists in particular groups in Australia and overseas. The material has been sorted and sent to the specialists for examination and determination of species. This work is complex and time consuming, so it has not been possible to provide identifications for this report. However, the material is currently being worked up and will be presented in the scientific literature when it has been completed.

Between 1998 and 2000 a partnership between the Western Australian Museum and Woodside Energy Ltd. was formed to survey and collect the marine flora and fauna of the Dampier Archipelago. Techniques employed during the surveys of the Dampier Archipelago included SCUBA diving, shore collecting, dredging, underwater photography of living specimens and video recording of the ocean floor, which resulted in the recording of more than 4 500 species, including 268 new to science. Many publications resulted from this survey and a website was created to distribute this valuable information.

Eight scientific staff of the Western Australian and Northern Territory Museums completed a survey of 37 marine, five freshwater and two terrestrial stations in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Habitats were sampled for a variety of invertebrate taxa and for fish. This report includes species inventories for most of the taxa sampled. More than 170 species of hard corals, 82 species of echinoderms, 317 species of molluscs, 139 species of decapod crustaceans, 49 species of barnacles, 67 species and higher taxa of polychaete worms and 324 species of fishes were recorded. The Kimberley has quite a high diversity of marine habitats which are dominated by the effects of strong tidal currents and high turbidity resulting in a relatively low faunal diversity. Comments are included on future management options for Kimberley marine ecosystems.

This report describes the results of the first of three expeditions planned to the Kimberley to document the marine flora and fauna of the area. The expedition took place in November 1994 with the assistance of a grant from the National Estates Grant Program.Twenty-two stations were examined. Detailed notes are presented on the station locations and habitat types present. At each station seagrasses, algae, fish, and some invertebrate groups were collected and notes were made on mangroves in the area.Three areas of particular significance were found: the intertidal seagrass beds in the area of Sunday and Tallon Islands, which are the largest known for the Kimberley region; an extensive intertidal system which surrounds Montgomery Island with an area greater than 400 square kilometres; and a hypersaline lagoon on Macleay Island. These areas are described and the reasons for their significance detailed.This report provides an extensive section outlining the coastal geomorphology of the southern Kimberley islands, emphasising the unique intertidal terraces which trap water at low tide and have allowed the development of the seagrass systems at Sunday and Tallon Islands.There have been no published records of the marine algae which occur in the Kimberley. This report provides details of 72 species collected during the expedition. Coralline algae are poorly known and species in this group are currently being worked on taxonomically. Two genera commonly found during the trip are provisionally considered to be undescribed and two species are new records for Western Australia. Eight species of seagrasses were recorded from a total of 15 stations; the number of known localities at which the most common species occurs has been trebled.Two hundred thirty-two species of molluscs, 173 crustaceans, 24 polychaetes,and 197 species of fish were recorded. Potentially new species were found in several groups. Detailed collections were made of additional groups such as echinoderms. The first collections from the Kimberley were obtained of groups such as isopods and nemerteans.The taxonomy of many of the groups collected is poorly known. Material was obtained for specialists in particular groups in Australia and overseas. The material has been sorted and sent to the specialists for examination and determination of species. This work is complex and time consuming, so it has not been possible to provide identifications for this report. However, the material is currently being worked up and will be presented in the scientific literature when it has been completed.

Habitat maps were created as part of a larger ecological assessment conducted by NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS), Biogeography Branch, for Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve (National Park Service). Aerial photographs were obtained for 2000 from the National Geodetic Survey, and were orthorectified by the Biogeography Branch. A classification scheme was set up with 20 benthic habitat types, 19 land cover types, and 13 mangrove habitat types. For this map of seagrass and mangrove habitats during 1992 only the 3 seagrass, and 14 mangrove classification categories were used. These were mapped directly into a GIS system through visual interpretation of orthorectified aerial photographs.