Marine Habitats of Western Australia

Research Project

Researchers: GIS Database Administrator (Point of contact) ,  GIS Database Administrator (Point of contact) ,  IMAS Data Manager (Point of contact) ,  IMAS Data Manager (Point of contact)

Brief description This dataset consists of polygons delineating the broad-scale regional marine habitats of selected areas in Western Australia, mostly in existing and proposed marine conservation reserve areas. Habitat mapping was carried out by various organisations, including DPAW, using a range of methodologies over many years. Diverse classifications and habitat descriptions were standardised to the DPaW broad-scale Shallow-water Marine Habitat Classification scheme (SMHC) (Bancroft, 2003) after initial habitat mapping and classification work had been done. Habitat polygons are classified to the broad-scale ecological Community level and where more detailed data exist, local-scale Functional Group level (Bancroft, 2003). Polygons were attributed with habitat class names only, textual descriptions of these classes are provided in this metadata statement and further in Bancroft (2003).

Lineage Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded

Lineage Statement: Habitat mapping datasets covering the current and proposed marine conservation reserves and surrounding waters of the Recherche Archipelago, Ningaloo, Cape Preston and Dampier, Montebello and Barrow Islands, Shark Bay, Rowley Shoals, Muiron and Sunday Islands, Geographe Bay to Cape Leeuwin, Shoalwater Islands, Swan Estuary, Marmion, and Jurien Bay were merged to produce one shapefile covering the whole state. Area (approx. period of mapping) • Recherche Archipelago (2002) • Ningaloo (1985 - 1994) • Cape Preston & Dampier Archipelago (1981 - 2002) • Montebello & Barrow Is (1994(?) - 1999) • Shark Bay (1992 - 2002) • Rowley Shoals (1996) • Muiron & Sunday Is (1994 - 2002) • Geographe Bay to Cape Leeuwin (1994 - 1996) • Shoalwater Is north (1993) • Shoalwater Is south (2003) • Swan Estuary (2002) • Marmion (1993 - 2001) • Jurien Bay (1997-1998)

Lineage

Data time period: 1981-01-01 to 2003-12-31

125.61416,-16.27286 125.61416,-35.32429 111.10367,-35.32429 111.10367,-16.27286 125.61416,-16.27286

118.358915,-25.798577026994

text: westlimit=111.10367; southlimit=-35.32429; eastlimit=125.61416000000001; northlimit=-16.272864053988