Research Project
Researchers:
Dunstan, Piers
(Point of contact, Principal investigator)
,
Dunstan, Piers
(Point of contact, Principal investigator)
,
Dunstan, Piers, Dr
(Point of contact, Principal investigator)
,
Dunstan, Piers, Dr
(Point of contact, Principal investigator)
,
Barrett, Neville
(collaborator)
View all 24 related researchers
Brief description This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub bridging study - "Support for Parks Australia’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement System for Australian Marine Parks". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The system of marine parks that spans Australia’s Commonwealth waters is among the largest in the world. These parks play a major role in conserving marine life, supporting commercial and recreational activities, and protecting cultural values significant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Parks Australia has developed management plans for five regional Australian Marine Park (AMP) networks (North, North-west, South-west, South-east and Temperate East) and the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP). Under each management plan, a science plan sets priorities for monitoring and research to evaluate management effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement. This prioritisation is vital given the limited knowledge across many AMPs, the technical challenges and high costs of science in remote areas, and the finite resources available for park management. Building on foundational work from the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub (projects SS2 and D7), this project delivered the scientific and technical advice needed to establish monitoring priorities for natural values and pressures across all AMP networks and the CSMP—completing a full national priority list for monitoring. It applied a nationally consistent four-step prioritisation framework that considered ecological importance, vulnerability to pressures, baseline data availability, and logistical feasibility. The project also updated the National Ecosystem model and Pressures & Activities datasets, conducted expert vulnerability assessments, and produced a Relative Cumulative Impact index. The combined research delivers a nationally accepted "common language" to describe natural values and pressures and a science-based method to derive monitoring priorities, aligned with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) system—an adaptive management framework that is globally unique and a significant step towards adaptive, integrated, place-based management. Key outputs include a national database of environmental and human-use data for each management region and a refined list of monitoring priorities for each AMP Network and the CSMP. The findings highlight major knowledge gaps—particularly in the distribution of mesophotic and rariphotic reefs, intertidal ecosystems, and recreational fishing impacts—and provide guidance for improving baseline data and pressure assessments. The prioritisation framework and data products developed through this project can be re-generated over time alongside improvements in the evidence base and our understanding of how ecosystems respond to multi-sectoral activities to support continual improvement in iterative, evidence-based park management and environmental outcomes. Outputs • Digital map layers per AMP network of: (1) Ecosystems; (2) Pressures & Activities; and (3) Cumulative Benthic & Pelagic Impacts • Final Technical Report containing maps of Key Natural Values, and of spatial Monitoring Priorities, including a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]
Lineage Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded
Notes
Credit
National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub
Notes
Credit
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Australian Government
Notes
Credit
In addition to NESP (DCCEEW) funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.
Notes
Purpose
To support Parks Australia to develop the MERI system and Network Science Plans for the Australian Marine Parks.
Data time period: 2021-09-01 to 2022-03-31
Dunstan PK, Woolley SNC, Monk J, Barrett N, Hayes KR, Foster S, Howe SA, Logan D, Samson CR, Francis SO (2023) Designing a targeted monitoring program to support evidence-based management of Australian Marine Parks: National Implementation. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. CSIRO. (Final Project Report)
(Project page on NESP Marine and Coastal Hub website)
uri :
https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/project/1-3
(Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: NESP MaC Hub website)
uri :
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/science-research/nesp/hub-marine-coastal
global : ee7f96b7-ab1e-4b65-87f5-b5632037c1d5
Project RAiD
doi :
10.71676/f0bab83a
- global : 2b251e01-6cc7-434e-bfaa-bbf691faa8a2