2016 SoE Marine Chapter - State and Trends - Fringing temperate rocky reefs

Brief description

The Marine chapter of the 2016 State of the Environment (SoE) report incorporates multiple expert templates developed from streams of marine data. This metadata record describes the Expert Assessment "The state and trends of ecological communities/habitats – fringing temperate rocky reefs". The full Expert Assessment, including figures and tables (where provided), is attached to this record. Where available, the Data Stream(s) used to generate this Expert Assessment are accessible through the "On-line Resources" section of this record. ---------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION OF ECOLOGICAL HABITAT/COMMUNITY FOR EXPERT ASSESSMENT Assemblages of plants and animals found on coastal rocky reefs <25 m depth in the temperate zone, not including reefs within large marine embayments (covered in the Coasts chapter). As fishes are covered in other assessments, the primary focus here is on habitat-forming biota and mobile invertebrates. DATA STREAM(S) USED IN EXPERT ASSESSMENT Reef Life Survey and Long-term Temperate Reef Monitoring program data were used for the current status assessment, with extensive spatial coverage of sites around the continent. Temporal trend information came from a combination of RLS and LTTRMP at six particular locations (MPA locations include the broader region and sites inside and outside sanctuary zones): NSW: Batemans Marine Park, Jervis Bay Marine Park, Sydney, Port Stephens VIC: Beware Reef, Port Phillip Heads SA: Encounter Bay (Fleurieu Peninsula) WA: Rottnest Island, Jurien Marine Park TAS: Maria Island ---------------------------------------- 2016 SOE ASSESSMENT SUMMARY [see attached Expert Assessment for full details] • 2016 • Assessment grade: Poor Assessment trend: Deteriorating Confidence grade: Limited evidence or limited consensus Confidence trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus Comparability: Grade and trend are not comparable to the 2011 assessment • 2011 • Assessment grade: Good Assessment trend: Stable Confidence grade: Adequate high quality evidence and high level of consensus Confidence trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus ---------------------------------------- CHANGES SINCE 2011 SOE ASSESSMENT Not clear what the 2011 assessment was based on.

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Statement: QUALITY OF DATA USED IN THE ASSESSMENT Data collected using standardised methods.

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Purpose
To describe the state and trends in fringing temperate rocky reefs for use in the Marine chapter of the 2016 State of the Environment report.