The Ningaloo Marine Park (State Waters) Plan 1989 was designated A class in 1990. A review of the Management Plan began in 2000; this resulted in a revised Management Plan being approved by the Minister in January 2005. Changes in the current Management Plan include extending the Marine Park southwards to incorporate the full extent of the reef, increasing the number and extent of Sanctuary Zones, introducing Special Purpose Benthic Protection and shore-based line fishing zones. The purpose of this project is to provide what will become the first data point in a long-term data set. These data will become an integral part of several sections of the NRP, including not only assessing the ecosystem effects of fishing, but also in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of zoning for biodiversity conservation, and for assessing the implications of zoning for fish populations and for fishing outside sanctuary zones. The surveys will provide data not only for newly established zones, but also for those zones already established within the park under previous zoning provisions. Where possible the survey will build on existing data sets, though these are limited in scope and spatial extent. Objectives - For fish taxa targeted by anglers (e.g. labridae, lethrinidae, lutjanidae, serranidae, carangidae), - Measure the distribution, abundance and size-structure of key fish populations at Ningaloo - Provide data that will allow a quantitative comparison of these parameters to be made across Ningaloo Marine Park zones (pre-2005 sanctuary zones, new sanctuary zones, benthic protection zones, recreational zones and general use zones). - Provide data that will form the basis for being able to: Measure the rate and magnitude of any changes in fish population size or structure related to changes in marine park zoning - Determine how responses of fish populations may vary with respect to factors such as size of reserve, type of reserve, distance from boundary and fish life-history - Parameterize and test spatially-explicit models of fish populations.

The Ningaloo Marine Park (State Waters) Plan 1989 was designated A class in 1990. A review of the Management Plan began in 2000; this resulted in a revised Management Plan being approved by the Minister in January 2005. Changes in the current Management Plan include extending the Marine Park southwards to incorporate the full extent of the reef, increasing the number and extent of Sanctuary Zones, introducing Special Purpose Benthic Protection and shore-based line fishing zones. The purpose of this project is to provide what will become the first data point in a long-term data set. These data will become an integral part of several sections of the NRP, including not only assessing the ecosystem effects of fishing, but also in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of zoning for biodiversity conservation, and for assessing the implications of zoning for fish populations and for fishing outside sanctuary zones. The surveys will provide data not only for newly established zones, but also for those zones already established within the park under previous zoning provisions. Where possible the survey will build on existing data sets, though these are limited in scope and spatial extent. Objectives - For fish taxa targeted by anglers (e.g. labridae, lethrinidae, lutjanidae, serranidae, carangidae), - Measure the distribution, abundance and size-structure of key fish populations at Ningaloo - Provide data that will allow a quantitative comparison of these parameters to be made across Ningaloo Marine Park zones (pre-2005 sanctuary zones, new sanctuary zones, benthic protection zones, recreational zones and general use zones). - Provide data that will form the basis for being able to: Measure the rate and magnitude of any changes in fish population size or structure related to changes in marine park zoning - Determine how responses of fish populations may vary with respect to factors such as size of reserve, type of reserve, distance from boundary and fish life-history - Parameterize and test spatially-explicit models of fish populations.

The Ningaloo Marine Park (State Waters) Plan 1989 was designated A class in 1990. A review of the Management Plan began in 2000; this resulted in a revised Management Plan being approved by the Minister in January 2005. Changes in the current Management Plan include extending the Marine Park southwards to incorporate the full extent of the reef, increasing the number and extent of Sanctuary Zones, introducing Special Purpose Benthic Protection and shore-based line fishing zones. The purpose of this project is to provide what will become the first data point in a long-term data set. These data will become an integral part of several sections of the NRP, including not only assessing the ecosystem effects of fishing, but also in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of zoning for biodiversity conservation, and for assessing the implications of zoning for fish populations and for fishing outside sanctuary zones. The surveys will provide data not only for newly established zones, but also for those zones already established within the park under previous zoning provisions. Where possible the survey will build on existing data sets, though these are limited in scope and spatial extent. Objectives - For fish taxa targeted by anglers (e.g. labridae, lethrinidae, lutjanidae, serranidae, carangidae), - Measure the distribution, abundance and size-structure of key fish populations at Ningaloo - Provide data that will allow a quantitative comparison of these parameters to be made across Ningaloo Marine Park zones (pre-2005 sanctuary zones, new sanctuary zones, benthic protection zones, recreational zones and general use zones). - Provide data that will form the basis for being able to: Measure the rate and magnitude of any changes in fish population size or structure related to changes in marine park zoning - Determine how responses of fish populations may vary with respect to factors such as size of reserve, type of reserve, distance from boundary and fish life-history - Parameterize and test spatially-explicit models of fish populations.

This study was nested in sub-project 3.2.2 “Ecosystem impacts of human usage and the effectiveness of zoning for the biodiversity conservation” in Node 3.2. The focus of this study was on trophic effects in the NMP. Due to the importance of herbivores in coral-reef systems, this study focused on characterising and quantifying the process of herbivory in the NMP with a particular emphasis on the removal of adult macroalgae. We used a range of approaches to gain an understanding of spatial and species-related patterns in herbivory in five distinct studies. Using underwater video cameras and Sargassum myriocystum assays, 23 different fish species were observed consuming macroalgae, but seven species (Naso unicornis, Kyphosus sp., K. vaigiensis, Siganus doliatus, Scarus ghobban, S. schlegeli and initial-phase Scarus sp.) together accounted for 95% of the observed bites across five regions. Of these species, three were identified as the most important in consuming macroalgae: N. unicornis, Kyphosus sp. and K. vaigiensis. These results were supported by stable isotope analyses that incorporate nutrients from food sources over far longer periods than those examined using the assay approach. The attached final report provides details on the 5 studies conducted related to herbivory: Spatial patterns in herbivory on a coral reef are influenced by structural complexity but not by algal traits. Herbivore diversity on coral reefs: a transcontinental comparison. Variation in macroalgal herbivory by fishes across a western-continental coral-reef system. Variability in the food sources of herbivorous invertebrates and fishes in a coral-reef system: a stable isotope approach. The role of herbivory on the spatial distribution of recruiting and established algal communities in coral versus algal dominated habitats.

This thesis examines the relationships between human use and biological changes in the rocky intertidal zone of the Bunurong Marine Park, Victoria between January 1990 and June 1991. The key areas of activities were to i) describe the types and patterns of human activities on the reef, ii) assess the impact and recovery of reef biota to these activities with particular focus on Hormosira banksii, the dominant algal community and iii) determine the natural fluctuations in reef communities to provide a baseline to detect future changes in response to protection. Surveys of human activities between January 1990 and April 1991 found walking to be the most common activity. Levels of human use were greatest during school holidays followed by weekends and were lowest during term weekdays. During school holidays use varied with the time of day and use on term weekend depended on weather. The impact of collecting intertidal gastropods and trampling were investigated. There was no relationship between the observed patterns of human use and variations in the size distributions of collected and non-collected intertidal gastropods. Experimental trampling showed that the dominant alga on these reefs, Hormosira banksii, was severely affected by trampling. The cover of Hormosira was reduced by trampling and the decrease in cover depended on the level of trampling. No significant effects of trampling were detected for any other species. Trampled beds of Hormosirra banksii took well over a year to recover to the same level as adjacent mats. Algal monitoring showed that the cover of Hormosira was stable over time, except for a large decrease due to desiccation in summer. These findings are discussed in relation to the management of the Bunurong Marine National Park.

This project now supports in part Australia’s first permanent acoustic listening station array on Ningaloo Reef – the Ningaloo Reef Ecosystem Tracking Array (NRETA) which has been established to answer major questions about the trophic structure, function and management of this environment, especially in terms of movement and migration patterns of key organisms within this ecosystem. NRETA has connected Australian acoustic telemetry science with the Census of Marine Life’s (CoML) Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking (POST) project in North America and the $35 million worldwide acoustic tracking initiative proposed by R O’Dor – Ocean Shelf Tracking and Physics Array (OSTAPA). NRETA will be a key factor in the development of shelf tracking arrays within Australia as part of AATAMS and will place Australia in a good position to take a leading role as this technology continues to expand worldwide. This project will add important data management and analysis tools to this array, essentially ensuring that the ability to process and understand data and keep pace with our ability to collect it.

From 2006 to 2007 at northern Ningaloo Reef, stereo Baited Remote Underwater Video (stereo-BRUVs) and stereo Diver Operated Video (stereo-DOVs) were used to measure fish assemblages across shallow coral reef lagoon habitats. Four areas were identified including Osprey and Mandu Sanctuary, and Osprey and Mandu Reference Areas which were studied with stereo-BRUV and stereo DOV transects, during two successive summer and winter periods. Each time, six stereo BRUVs and 5 stereo-DOV transects were collected from within 6 coral reef lagoon habitats at 2 well established sanctuary zones and adjacent areas. The video footage was used to create the raw abundance and length data of different fish species.

This project was developed for the Ningaloo Research Program (NRP) to explore the effects of managing recreational fishing, which is perhaps the most important extractive activities in the Ningaloo Marine Park. The project used simulation techniques known as Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) to explore the consequences of a range of management actions, under a series of alternative future scenarios on the management of a major target species on Ningaloo Reef, spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus). The results of the scenarios are examined against the objectives set out by management and other stakeholders in the park. A simulation model, known as ELFSim, was used. ELFSim is a decision support software system designed to evaluate options for conservation and harvest management, and includes a number of key components: a population dynamics model of target species that captures the full life history (including larval dispersal, reproduction, development, and habits) of the target species, a model of fishing dynamics that captures the exploitation pattern due to fishing behaviour, a management model that simulates the implementation of management actions. ELFSim was developed for other coral reef fisheries where commercial fishing was the primary fishing activity, and in this sought to develop a simulation model of recreational fishing dynamics. This model was agent-based, meaning that individual recreational fishing boats were represented in the model, and a range of management measures were tested on the ability to manage these virtual recreational fishers. These management measures, derived from stakeholder workshops include the effect of increasing the no take sanctuary zones, and restricting the fishing in sanctuary zones that occurs from shore. The effectiveness of these management actions in the simulation model was measured against the management objectives of the stakeholders. Management objectives were classified according to ecological (conservation) objectives, or social and economic objectives. The results showed that the current management arrangement perform adequately against the range of ecological and social objectives. However, for other management actions, the results showed the inherent trade-off that exists between the ecological objective and the social objectives.

The process of herbivory is particularly intense in coral-reef ecosystems, where herbivorous fishes play a key role in promoting the resilience of coral reefs by mediating competition between corals and benthic macroalgae. Understanding and quantifying the species-specific roles of herbivores in ecosystem processes is critical for the proactive management of coral-reef systems, particularly in the context of their ability to overcome disturbance. This study investigated variation in herbivory on macroalgae by coral-reef fishes at small (within-reef; <1 km) and broad (regional; 50-300 km) spatial scales at Ningaloo Reef in north-west Western Australia. The levels of herbivory by fishes significantly differed between regions of Ningaloo Reef and were shown to be similar to those at lower latitudes of the Great Barrier Reef. No differences in herbivory were evident at the smaller within-reef spatial scale, with herbivory instead being highly variable between successive sampling days. Using stationary high-definition video cameras to film the removal of transplanted macroalgal assays by fishes, the species responsible for the patterns of herbivory were also identified and their bite rate quantified. Seven fish species, namely Naso unicornis (f: Acanthuridae), Kyphosus sp., K. vaigiensis (f: Kyphosidae), Siganus doliatus (f: Siganidae), Scarus ghobban, S. schlegeli and initial-phase Scarus sp. (f: Scaridae), accounted for 95% of the 32,395 bites on the macroalgal assays across regions. However, analyses demonstrated that only the bites of N. unicornis, Kyphosus sp., and K. vaigiensis removed significant macroalgal biomass, indicating the functional inability of many other species to rapidly remove fleshy macroalgae from the reef. Together, the feeding of these three ‘macroalgal browsers’ accounted for more than 75% of the quantified variability in herbivory, essentially making these species the ‘drivers’ of macroalgal herbivory in Ningaloo Reef. Regions exhibiting similar levels of herbivory were characterised by different feeding species, indicating some degree of functional redundancy within Ningaloo Reef. However, the potential for this redundancy appears to be limited, given the process of macroalgal herbivory was effectively confined to only three out of the 31 roving ‘herbivorous’ fish species observed throughout this study. The disproportionate effects of these three herbivorous fish species could not be inferred by visual presence alone, as these three dominant species only comprised 1-7% of the herbivorous fish biomass across regions, thus highlighting that the species critical to the healthy functioning and resilience of coral-reef systems may go unnoticed using standard visual census techniques alone. The differential roles of species in the removal of macroalgae from the reef stress the necessity to evaluate roles in ecosystem processes at the species level. Given the exclusivity of the role in macroalgal herbivory to a select few species, this study also emphasises that a high diversity of herbivores may not necessarily offer a high level of resilience against a change in macroalgae cover in coral-reef systems.