The qualitative model that is being developed for the estuarine ecosystem of the Swan River Estuary will be used to explore how environmental change due to both anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic factors is likely to affect the ecosystem and to assess the potential for management action to ameliorate adverse impacts. The study is part of a broader qualitative modelling study, initiated by WAMSI, that encompasses the Swan River Estuary, the Peel-Harvey Estuary and the Leschenault Estuary.

The qualitative model that is being developed for the estuarine ecosystem of the Leschenault Estuary will be used to explore how environmental change due to both anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic factors is likely to affect the ecosystem and to assess the potential for management action to ameliorate adverse impacts. The study is part of a broader qualitative modelling study, initiated by WAMSI, that encompasses the Swan River Estuary, the Peel-Harvey Estuary and the Leschenault Estuary.

This study produced qualitative models that assembled stakeholder perceptions of various assets and issues within the Peel Harvey estuarine system including water quality, wading birds, blue swimmer crabs and governance. The models were developed through workshops with a wide variety of stakeholders, including community groups, government agencies, researchers, managers and non-government organisations, and discussions with individuals or small groups following the workshops. Each model was used to assess the current situation and the drivers of change that were negatively impacting the focal asset. Potential management strategies were then identified and the ‘best case management strategy’, where both model stability and asset management were improved, was incorporated in a ‘future’ model. Common themes that arose throughout this process were the need to improve water quality throughout the estuary and nearby rivers by reducing nutrient input from various sources, and the need to alter current governance structures to allow effective environmental management.

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 aim of WAMSI Node 4.3.1b aim was to identify data gaps in the west coast demersal food web and identify key trophic components. This involved data collection from 48 published studies and reports covering 61 species/groups were examined to develop a qualitative model including variables from commercially and recreationally important species, prey, predators and primary producers.

The Peel-Harvey Estuary was divided into five regions; the Entrance Channel, Eastern Peel Inlet, Western Peel Inlet, Northern Harvey Estuary and Southern Harvey Estuary. Within each region four sites were sampled seasonally over two years (total of 8 sampling occasions). At each site, sampling of fish was conducted using seine nets with length and weight of all collected fish measured. In addition, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen were measured at each site. The aim of the study is to develop cost-effective strategies for monitoring the fish community. Data is still being collected / processed and will be released at the end of WAMSI program.

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 Leschenault Estuary was divided into four regions; the apex, upper, middle and lower regions. Within each region four sites were sampled seasonally (except the middle region where there were four additional crab potting sites) over two years (total of 8 sampling occasions). At each site, sampling of fish was conducted using seine nets with length and weight of all collected fish measured. In addition, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen were measured at each site. The aim of the study is to develop cost-effective strategies for monitoring the fish community.

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.