The project aims to monitor and study dugongs, dolphins, and turtles along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) by conducting key tasks such as data collection, analysis, and reporting. This project will monitor and study dugongs, dolphins and turtles along the coast of the GBRWHA with the following key tasks: Determine the distribution and status of inshore dolphins in the northern Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) by identifying likely important habitats based on collaboration with Tradition Owners and published information, then conduct line transect surveys (along with biopsy samples) in the Cardwell area (Girringun) and Bathurst Bay (far northern GBR). Perform aerial surveys of Dugongs from the region from the southern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) to Cooktown (2011/2012) and from Cooktown north in late 2013. Perform at least two field trips per year between 2011 and 2014 to collect samples of skin (turtle and dugong), feces (dugong) and marine flora (seagrass, algae and mangrove species) to examine foraging dynamics and ecosystem role of green turtles and dugongs in algal and seagrass based ecosystems of the GBRWHA (coastal zone from Bowen to Cardwell). The project will also work with Traditional Owners to improve conservation of these species of conservation concern and high cultural value. Change log: 2024-05-29 - added an interactive map link to the eAtlas maps showing the project activity (points and lines).

This was project is a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), the Department of Defence, Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. The tea,m partnered with the Tiwi Islands Marine Rangers and the Tiwi Land Council partnered and the Crocodile Islands Rangers and Milingimbi Outstations Progress Resource Aboriginal Corporation (MOPRA). Traditional Owners of both areas gave consent for the team to work on their sea country and on these culturally important species. We deployed satellite linked tags on female turtles after they had completed nesting on the beach. Tagged turtles included olive ridley turtles on the Tiwi Islands (in May 2022) and flatback turtles (in Oct 2022) and olive ridley turtles (in May 2023) at the remote Crocodile Islands. The tags track the turtle movements anand collect temperature and salinity data from the ocean as they dive. This information will provide a better understanding of turtle habitats and behaviours around the islands and beyond to inform conservation and management and assist the dDepartment of Defence to understand the oceanography in the little-studied Arafura Sea.

The WPCTP is a local community group that monitors turtle nesting activity and identifies threats/disturbances to nesting turtles and hatchlings on Bells Beach near Wickham. The program is part of a coordinated and concerted effort in the conservation and recovery of marine turtles and their habitats along the Pilbara coast. The WPCTP is supported by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and the Ningaloo Turtle Program (including Cape Conservation Group and WWF Australia) and is funded by Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO)

This project proposes to update the seabird monitoring program along the Ningaloo coast by implementing a consistent methodology which is based upon local research, and is scientifically sound yet operationally efficient

This project fills a critical information gap for dugong and turtle habitat management in the Torres Strait. It describes seagrasses in a recently identified data deficient region in northern Torres Strait that contains large dugong and turtle populations and is the subject of a proposed extension of the existing Dugong Sanctuary. The baseline assessments will form the foundation for ongoing monitoring, and provide essential information to the TSRA, Australian and Queensland governments for dugong and turtle management plans, complimenting dugong and turtle research studies in the region and building skills and capacity of Traditional Owners and Rangers.

The Department of Environment and Conservation monitor marine turtles in Western Australia through various programs.

The project will determine the status of threatened marine (green, hawksbill and flatback) turtles and dugongs in the Torres Strait and threats to these populations. It also will investigate links between different populations of dugongs and turtles in terms of movement and habitat use. They will also assess the abundance of dugongs in the Torres Strait using aerial surveys. Working in conjunction with the Torres Strait Regional Authorities (TSRA) Land and Sea Unit and the TSRA Community Ranger program this project will: Determine the status of green turtles in Torres Strait (sex ratios, patterns of juvenile recruitment, nesting success and hatchling production) using seasonal surveys of green turtle foraging and nesting sites. Foraging sites will vary to cover as many different habitats as possible (e.g. one per year). Nesting sites will include Maizub Kaur (Bramble Cay) and Dowar Island (Mer Group) Determine the status of hawksbill and flatback turtles in Torres Strait by conducting Iama community and Mabuiag Community seasonal surveys and trial remote camera deployments at Sassie Island and Malu Kiai (Deliverance Island) to quantify nesting events, which are suspected to be declining, and predation levels, which are speculated to be high. Data will then be used in combination with survey data collected by QDERM (Col Limpus) since 1992, and other life history and mortality data to determine a robust account of population status. Investigate population connectivity of dugong and green turtles using satelite tracking of dugongs caught in the northern section of Torres Strait (i.e. around Biogu), analysis of previous tracking data (from QDERM, CRC TS, MTSRF and AMMC) of turtles and dugongs and collection of skin samples from dugongs and green turtles to strengthen the genetic understanding. Undertake dugong and turtle aerial surveys in March 2011 and November 2013 of western Torres Strait, including the Dugong Sanctuary and the area west of Orman Reef in association with a parallel survey of the northern GBR. Analyse historical data to examine patterns of turtle abundance in key areas such as western Torres Strait and the Dugong Sanctuary.

This project will improve the accuracy of aerial survey estimates of the size and distribution of dugong and green turtle populations in western and central Torres Strait by: (1) collecting and analysing data on their movements and diving behaviour, and (2) estimating the proportion of turtles seen during aerial surveys that are the large female green turtles harvested by Indigenous hunters. These data will then be used to (re)estimate the size and distribution of the populations of dugongs and harvestable green turtles in Torres Strait by (re) analysing historical aerial survey data collected in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2013.