This report provides a description of the research activities completed during the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub survey of southeast Tasmanian temperate reefs, aboard RV Challenger, as part of the Hub's Surrogates Program. The survey was undertaken as a collaborative exercise between the Tasmania Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI, University of Tasmania) and Geoscience Australia (GA), and was completed in two stages during 2008 and 2009. This report describes the methods employed in the mapping and video characterisation of shallow-shelf temperate reef habitats across seven survey sites in southeast Tasmania. Preliminary results are provided of the analysis of multibeam sonar and underwater video data. Examples of the types of biota encountered in the towed video and stills photography, and initial interpretations of the benthic communities are also provided. In addition, initial results are presented from the deployment of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to collect high resolution photographs of reefs and associated biota.

This report provides a description of the research activities completed during the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub survey of southeast Tasmanian temperate reefs, aboard RV Challenger, as part of the Hub's Surrogates Program. The survey was undertaken as a collaborative exercise between the Tasmania Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI, University of Tasmania) and Geoscience Australia (GA), and was completed in two stages during 2008 and 2009. This report describes the methods employed in the mapping and video characterisation of shallow-shelf temperate reef habitats across seven survey sites in southeast Tasmania. Preliminary results are provided of the analysis of multibeam sonar and underwater video data. Examples of the types of biota encountered in the towed video and stills photography, and initial interpretations of the benthic communities are also provided. In addition, initial results are presented from the deployment of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to collect high resolution photographs of reefs and associated biota.

The Tasmanian Shelf survey was conducted on the Challenger in collaboration with the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute between the 13-16th June, 2008 and 23rd February to the 14th March, 2009 (GA survey #0315). The survey was operated as part of the Surrogates Program of the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub. The objective was to collect co-located physical and biological data to enable the robust testing of a range of physical parameters as surrogates of benthic biodiversity patterns. A total of 55 video transects were surveyed from five study areas (Tasman Peninsula, Freycinet Peninsula, The Friars, Huon river, and Port Arthur channel) in water depths ranging from 15-110 m. Video was recorded to mini DV tapes, and copied to digital format. For further information on this survey please refer to the post-survey report (GA Record 2009/043 - Geocat #69755).

The Tasmanian Shelf survey was conducted on the Challenger in collaboration with the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute between the 13-16th June, 2008 and 23rd February to the 14th March, 2009 (GA survey #0315). The survey was operated as part of the Surrogates Program of the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub. The objective was to collect co-located physical and biological data to enable the robust testing of a range of physical parameters as surrogates of benthic biodiversity patterns. A total of 55 video transects were surveyed from five study areas (Tasman Peninsula, Freycinet Peninsula, The Friars, Huon river, and Port Arthur channel) in water depths ranging from 15-110 m. Video was recorded to mini DV tapes, and copied to digital format. For further information on this survey please refer to the post-survey report (GA Record 2009/043 - Geocat #69755).

The Tasmanian Shelf survey was conducted on the Challenger in collaboration with the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute between the 13-16th June, 2008 and 23rd February to the 14th March, 2009 (GA survey #0315). The survey was operated as part of the Surrogates Program of the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub. The objective was to collect co-located physical and biological data to enable the robust testing of a range of physical parameters as surrogates of benthic biodiversity patterns. A total of 55 video transects were surveyed from five study areas (Tasman Peninsula, Freycinet Peninsula, The Friars, Huon river, and Port Arthur channel) in water depths ranging from 15-110 m. Video was recorded to mini DV tapes, and copied to digital format. For further information on this survey please refer to the post-survey report (GA Record 2009/043 - Geocat #69755).

The Tasmanian Shelf survey was conducted on the Challenger in collaboration with the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute between the 13-16th June, 2008 and 23rd February to the 14th March, 2009 (GA survey #0315). The survey was operated as part of the Surrogates Program of the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub. The objective was to collect co-located physical and biological data to enable the robust testing of a range of physical parameters as surrogates of benthic biodiversity patterns. A total of 55 video transects were surveyed from five study areas (Tasman Peninsula, Freycinet Peninsula, The Friars, Huon river, and Port Arthur channel) in water depths ranging from 15-110 m. Video was recorded to mini DV tapes, and copied to digital format. For further information on this survey please refer to the post-survey report (GA Record 2009/043 - Geocat #69755).

This record is an overview entry for biological data collected on Southern Surveyor cruise SS 01/97. This cruise took place in southern Tasmanian Continental Slope waters during 20 January - 1 February 1997, under the leadership of Tony Koslow. Biological data collected on this cruise include photographic surveys of four seamounts, dredge samples, faunal samples (including corals and many other benthic invertebrates) and fish samples. Samples of several species of corals, including Solenosmilia variabilis, were also taken for genetic analysis, and rock samples taken for age determination of the seamounts.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in southeast Tasmania in 2008 and 2009 (GA0315) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through observation of habitats using underwater towed video. Data was acquired using the Tasmania Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) Research Vessel Challenger. Bathymetric mapping was undertaken in seven survey areas, including: Freycinet Pensinula (83 sq km, east coast and shelf); Tasman Peninsula (117 sq km, east coast and shelf); Port Arthur and adjacent open coast (17 sq km); The Friars (41 sq km, south of Bruny Island); lower Huon River estuary (39 sq km); D Entrecastreaux Channel (7 sq km, at Tinderbox north of Bruny Island), and; Maria Island (3 sq km, western side). Video characterisations of the seabed concentrated on areas of bedrock reef and adjacent seabed in all mapped areas, except for D Entrecastreaux Channel and Maria Island. fortescue_160 is an ArcINFO grid of the Tasman Peninsula survey area produced from the processed EM3002 bathymetry data using the CARIS HIPS and SIPS software. This dataset is a contribution to the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub.

The data is the quantitative abundance of fish derived from underwater visual census methods involving transect counts at rocky reef sites around Tasmania. This data forms part of a larger dataset that also surveyed megafaunal invertebrate abundance and algal cover for the area. The aggregated dataset allows examination of changes in Tasmanian shallow reef floral and faunal communities over a decadal scale - initial surveys were conducted in 1992-1995, and again at the same sites in 2006-2007. There are plans for ongoing surveys. An additional component was added in the latter study - a boat ramp study looking at the proximity of boat ramps and their effects of fishing. We analysed underwater visual census data on fishes and macroinvertebrates (abalone and rock lobsters) at 133 shallow rocky reef sites around Tasmania that ranged from 0.6 - 131 km from the nearest boat ramp. These sites were not all the same as those used for the comparison of 1994 and 2006 reef communities. The subset of 133 sites examined in this component consisted of only those sites that were characterized by the two major algal (kelp) types (laminarian or fucoid dominated). Sites with atypical algal assemblages were omitted from the 196 sites surveyed in 2006. This study aimed to examine reef community data for changes at the community level, changes in species richness and introduced species populations, and changes that may have resulted from ocean warming and fishing. The methods are described in detail in Edgar and Barrett (1997). Primarily the data are derived from transects at 5 m depth and/or 10 m depth at each site surveyed. The underwater visual census (UVC) methodology used to survey rocky reef communities was designed to maximise detection of (i) changes in population numbers and size-structure (ii) cascading ecosystem effects associated with disturbances such as fishing, (iii) long term change and variability in reef assemblages.

Geoscience Australia carried out marine surveys in southeast Tasmania in 2008 and 2009 (GA0315) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through observation of habitats using underwater towed video. Data was acquired using the Tasmania Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) Research Vessel Challenger. Bathymetric mapping was undertaken in seven survey areas, including: Freycinet Pensinula (83 sq km, east coast and shelf); Tasman Peninsula (117 sq km, east coast and shelf); Port Arthur and adjacent open coast (17 sq km); The Friars (41 sq km, south of Bruny Island); lower Huon River estuary (39 sq km); D Entrecastreaux Channel (7 sq km, at Tinderbox north of Bruny Island), and; Maria Island (3 sq km, western side). Video characterisations of the seabed concentrated on areas of bedrock reef and adjacent seabed in all mapped areas, except for D Entrecastreaux Channel and Maria Island. The "challenger" folder contains processed multibeam backscatter data of the South East Tasmania Shelf. The SIMRAD EM3002 multibeam backscatter data were processed using the CMST_GA MB Process, a multibeam processing toolbox codeveloped by Geoscience Australia and Curtin University of Technology This dataset is a contribution to the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub.