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The Great Australian Bight Research Program Building a bigger picture of the Bight

CEDUNA

PORT LINCOLN

GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT

BP EXPLORATION PERMITS

The Great Australian Bight Research Program is a four-year, $20 million research program to improve understanding of the environmental, economic and social values of the Great Australian Bight. It is a collaboration between BP, CSIRO, and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the University of and Flinders University. The Great Australian Bight Research Program

Building a greater understanding of the unique ecosystems of the Great Australian Bight is critical to ensure future development in this is ecologically sustainable.

CONTENTS Introduction 2

Sharing the Knowledge 4

The Team 4

Oceanography 6

Open Water Research 8

Sea floor Biodiversity 10

Apex Predators 12

Petroleum Systems 14

Socio-economic Analysis 16

Integration and Modelling 18

Contact 20

1 Research Program One of the largest whole-of-ecosystem studies ever undertaken in Australia

2 Introduction The Great Australian Bight is a unique marine environment and an area of high conservation significance. Over 85% of known species in the region are found nowhere else in the world.

The highly productive region is home The Great Australian Bight has Relatively little physical, chemical and to great white sharks and iconic been identified as prospective for biological data have been collected in marine mammals such as whales, oil and gas, an important Australian the region, especially from the deep seals, dolphins and seabirds. It industry. In 2011, BP was granted water ecosystems of the central Bight. produces 25% of Australia’s seafood four exploration permits in the Bight, The research program seeks to build production by value, it supports and chose to collaborate with some the first integrated model of how the Australia’s largest commercial fishery of Australia’s pre-eminent science biological and physical systems of the by volume, the South Australian institutions to enhance everyone’s Great Australian Bight are linked and Sardine Fishery, as well as the understanding of this vast expanse influenced by the environment valuable southern bluefin tuna, of and its surrounds. around them. abalone and southern rock lobster fisheries. Aquaculture leases are This collaboration forged This will be vital information for all spread along the coast and its between industry and science users of the Bight because it will coastal waters are significant for the is delivering one of the provide a solid basis on which to region’s indigenous communities. measure possible human impacts and largest whole-of-ecosystem Large marine parks have been help industry and government plan for studies ever undertaken in established within the Great Australian future activities. Bight which is also a prime tourist Australia. destination.

Left: Understanding iconic species, such as the southern , will underpin their conservation and management.

3 Sharing the knowledge Information gathered about this unique with other stakeholders, such presentations, science symposia and marine region will be crucial to help as Commonwealth and State publications in science journals, and inform decision makers and ensure governments, and a diverse range other published reports. future developments co-exist with of research, community and the Bight’s environment, industries environmental groups through and community. The knowledge will be shared

Right: Multi-disciplinary teams will work together The team across the research program. The Great Australian Bight Research reveal new insights into how the Program combines the expertise, Great Australian Bight ecosystem program of this size and resources and capability of Australia’s operates and provide a scientific basis complexity is being observed leading marine research institutes – for sound decision-making to utilise with interest by research CSIRO, the South Australian Research and protect the environment. organisations, industry and and Development Institute (SARDI), governments around the CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific the University of Adelaide and and Industrial Research Organisation, world. Flinders University, as well as is Australia’s national science agency contribution from BP subject matter The University of Adelaide is one of and one of the largest and most experts. Australia’s leading research-intensive diverse research agencies in the world. universities and is consistently ranked Multi-disciplinary research teams SARDI is the South Australian among the top 1% of universities in comprising more than 100 of Government’s principal research the world. Australia’s top scientists and technical institute. Its Aquatic Sciences Division staff are focused on seven major Flinders University has an international has particular expertise in marine research themes – oceanography, reputation for high quality research that ecosystems, oceanography, marine open water ecosystems, floor includes a strong record of discovery protected species, and fisheries biodiversity, apex predators, petroleum and innovation in the areas of marine, resources sciences covering wild systems, socio-economic analysis, environmental and sciences. fisheries and aquaculture. and integration and modeling. Undertaking an ecosystem This globally significant study will

4 5 6 Left: Oceanographic data will be collected by gliders from the Integrated Marine Observing System’s (IMOS) Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (ANFOG).

Oceanography The Great Australian Bight is an especially dynamic body of ocean, and changes in ocean circulation and waves have a direct bearing on the marine ecosystem.

The marginal sea of the Great Researchers will develop Studying long-term changes in ocean Australian Bight is an extraordinary hydrodynamic ocean models to circulation and the associated changes body of ocean with some physical gain a greater understanding of the in the ecosystem will provide insights characteristics that make it globally- connections between deep, off-shelf into how the two are linked. unique and quite distinct from the on the and This information will enable all adjacent west and east of coastal regions, as well as the dynamic circulation-dependent aspects of the Australia. Decade-to-decade, year-to- effect of the ocean on sea floor and ecology to be better understood. It will year and day-to-day changes in ocean ocean-dwelling food webs also determine regional connectivity circulation and waves all have a direct and biodiversity. for scenario studies and support bearing on the marine ecosystem. The computer models will simulate sustainable management decisions. The Oceanography research theme the day-to-day changes of ocean will develop a detailed understanding Principal scientists: circulation and waves over many years. of the region’s oceanography providing A/Prof John Middleton SARDI The accuracy of the models will be crucial knowledge for colleagues Dr David Griffin CSIRO assessed using all available ocean seeking to understand the pelagic observations. and benthic ecosystems of the Great Australian Bight.

7 Open water research Understanding the natural variability in the Great Australian Bight’s pelagic ecosystem structure and function is necessary to help monitor and assess potential future human impacts.

Researchers studying the pelagic or Scientists will collect information on the physical and chemical environment open water ecosystem will be looking the abundance and biodiversity of drive changes in food web dynamics at tiny organisms from microbes microbes, plankton and micronekton will also contribute important (viruses and bacteria), through to to assess food web dynamics in information that will help to explain plankton (small plants and animals relation to changes in the physical and the way these changes affect the up to ~ 1 cm) and micronekton chemical environment. distribution and abundance of iconic (crustaceans, small fish, squids and species and apex predators. Seasonal changes in oceanographic larger jellyfish up to ~ 10 cm) found in cycles, and the influence of upwelling Principal scientists: the shelf and deep Great Australian and downwelling in the region may Dr Rudy Kloser CSIRO Bight waters. This represents the first cause changes in the amount and Dr Paul van Ruth SARDI comprehensive study of the deepwater type of nutrients available to primary A/Prof Tim Ward SARDI pelagic ecosystem in this region. New producers. This in turn may lead specimens will include those collected to shifts in food web dynamics from the deepest set of samples ever with implications for overall pelagic taken from the area, to depths of 3000 Right: ecosystem productivity. Water sampling at different depths assists in identifying metres. changes in food web dynamics. Understanding the way that changes in

8 9 10 Left: Sea floor sampling will reveal unknown biodiversity in the deep water ecosystem. Sea floor biodiversity Despite the high conservation significance of the Great Australian Bight’s shallow benthic (sea floor) ecosystems, virtually nothing is known about benthic biodiversity in the region’s deep sea where oil and gas exploration will be focused.

The Great Australian Bight Research are unknown, new and innovative hydrocarbons. Program offers the first sustained approaches will be developed to Studies of the abundance, diversity opportunity to study the sea floor identify them. Researchers will and distribution of indicator organisms fauna and its environment in mid refine and apply the latest molecular and general biodiversity on the sea and lower continental slope depths techniques including ‘DNA barcoding’ floor will be used to develop metrics at approximately 1000-2000 metres to rapidly identify key taxonomic to monitor long term changes, and below the sea surface. Sea floor groups of the region. Research to develop cutting edge molecular organisms are responsible for much will measure the levels of naturally tools for rapid response environmental of the secondary productivity of occurring hydrocarbons in the monitoring. deep ocean waters, and ultimately environment and benthic fauna, underpin much of the food chain that and predict if naturally occurring Principal scientists: supports a range of economically and hydrocarbons are utilised by bacteria Dr Alan Williams CSIRO socially important species including as part of the natural processes within Dr Jason Tanner SARDI fishes. Benthic infauna living within the environment. This will provide an the sediments include species with understanding of the relative levels of potential to indicate environmental hydrocarbons occurring before oil and impacts stemming from potential gas exploration commenced, pollution events. as well as the capacity of the microbial biota to degrade enhanced levels of As many of these benthic fauna

11 apex predators The Great Australian Bight is a regional hotspot for pelagic predators.

Globally, it is the most significant threatened species, including feeding ground for juvenile southern , southern right Migration paths, foraging, bluefin tuna and is home to more whale, pygmy blue whale and white breeding and connectivity than 80% of Australia’s populations of shark. Surveys on their distribution between species will also Australian sea lions and New Zealand and relative abundance in the region be studied, as well as the fur seals. The Great Australian Bight are needed to assess their risk oceanographic processes supports Australia’s largest breeding from development in this region. that underpin areas of aggregation of southern right whales Particular management requirements ecological significance. which migrate to the region to calve for threatened species under the in winter and provides critical foraging Commonwealth Environment This includes using animal movement habitat for pygmy blue whales during Protection and Biodiversity data to determine critical habitats, summer and autumn. Millions of Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 also identify Areas of Ecological short-tailed shearwaters migrate need to be assessed. Significance important to multiple into the region to breed and forage Researchers will study the ecology species, migration paths, and the in its productive waters each year. and abundance of key iconic species oceanographic processes that The Great Australian Bight supports including whales, dolphins, seals, underpin key foraging areas. critical habitat for a host of protected seabirds, pelagic fish and sharks. and migratory species and several

12 A range of aerial and acoustic abundant prey species, especially Above: Research will include the importance of this region surveys, satellite tracking, tagging, sardines. These fish are captured in to the threatened Australian sea lion. Image courtesy of Roy Hunt, Australian Geographic. field surveys, population counts purse seine nets and towed to inshore and archival reviews of previous ranching operations where they are electronic tagging data will be used grown out for the export market. to gather this information. One of The project will look at their spatial the projects will focus on southern dynamics and any potential impacts bluefin tuna, which is a highly valued of noise associated with oil and gas species targeted by commercial and exploration, as well as the ecological recreational fisheries. The fish is of role of southern bluefin tuna as an significant value to ’s apex predator in the Great Australian regional economy. A $200 million Bight. southern bluefin tuna aquaculture Principal scientists: industry, based at on the A/Prof Simon Goldsworthy SARDI , captures its juvenile Dr Campbell Davies CSIRO tuna from the Great Australian Bight when they gather in the warm shelf waters each summer to feed on

13 14 Petroleum systems Small balls of natural tar washed up on beaches along South Australia’s Bonney Coast in the South East provided the first tangible sign of potential oil and gas reserves in the canyon systems of the continental slope.

The Great Australian Bight Research Their elemental, isotopic and Researchers will also look at the Program geologists and geochemists molecular fingerprints will provide environmental impact of asphaltites will identify and characterise natural essential clues to the location of and tar balls on the sediment and petroleum seepage in specific areas what, until now, has been a phantom biota of their stranding sites, and gain of the Bight. Currently, no liquid petroleum system. important insights from their stranding hydrocarbons have been recovered patterns. Complex studies will range from from the Bight and an active detailed 3D seismic data sets, looking Principal Scientists: petroleum system has yet to be at structural geology, identifying and Dr Andy Ross CSIRO proven. The tar balls themselves may characterising palaeo-hydrocarbon Dr Richard Kempton CSIRO point researchers to the likely location migration routes, geohazard and of their parent seeps. sea floor geomorphology, the physical The geochemistry of the tar balls and and chemical attributes of the asphaltites found on South Australia’s water column, water surface slick beaches will be determined to identify sampling and satellite remote sensing. their probable origins, as well as their This will be used to identify natural Left: Identifying traces of oil in sediments, such as sand geographic relationship to offshore hydrocarbon seepage in the Great grains from beneath the ocean floor (left), increase our surface and bottom ocean currents. Australian Bight. understanding of the movement of hydrocarbons in the Great Australian Bight.

15 Socio- economic analysis Any potential oil and/or gas industry in the Great Australian Bight may change the structure of some regional communities in the aquaculture and dryland farming areas of Eyre Peninsula and the west coast of South Australia.

Significant changes could occur if are enjoyed, and how resilient the results of exploration lead to the communities are, as well as the draw on the experiences development of a gas and/or structure of its labour force and how of these regions in dealing oil resource. communities have dealt with change with significant change over in the past. The region’s economy Understanding how these activities the past three decades with and the processes currently driving might reshape a community is crucial a decline in conventional development will be studied, with to ensure that change is positive and agriculture, the rise of much of the information drawn from that potential benefits are fully realised aquaculture and value- the Australian Bureau of Statistics both socially and economically, as added fishing and finally, the Census data. well as how change can best be emergence of mining. integrated. Researchers will also consult with the community about their concerns and Social science approaches will be The economic dependence of perceptions of key issues regarding used to form a baseline understanding individual regional communities the likely future activities of the oil and/ of these communities, including how on activities related to the Great or gas industry. people living in the region connect Australian Bight will be examined. In addition, researchers will and interact, how natural resources This knowledge will provide a baseline

16 Right: Understanding the socio-economics of the region will help guide future developments.

measurement against which any future changes may be assessed. Major outcomes of the studies will include a benchmark of social and economic conditions. These will relate to the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries and recreational fishing, as well as the contribution that the Great Australian Bight makes to recreation and eco-tourism, and the contribution that these sectors make to the local economies.

Principal Scientists: Professor Andrew Beer University of Adelaide Dr Sean Pascoe CSIRO Professor Mike Young University of Adelaide

17 Integration and Modelling A major outcome of the Great Australian Bight Research Program will be the development of a powerful state-of-the-art modelling tool of the structure and dynamics of the Bight’s ecosystem.

This will integrate all the relevant data Data included in the computer model food chain, harmful algal blooms, gained from the research program, as will range from the key physical red tides and hurricanes, and how well as from previous studies. chemical and biological drivers of they might impact the ecosystem. ecosystem structure; the vulnerability Changes due to climate change will Most importantly, it will provide of key habitats and assemblages, also be identified and forecast. the capability to translate this new trophic pathways and species; knowledge into meaningful information Principal scientists: potential ecosystem stressors and about how the Great Australian A/Prof Tim Ward SARDI their combined effects; and the social- Bight ecosystem functions, and the Dr Beth Fulton CSIRO economic and ecological trade-offs potential impacts of individual and A/Prof Simon Goldsworthy SARDI associated with multiple use. multiple activities. The model can also be used to track The computer model will enable events such as potential pollutants the substantial information resource through the Great Australian Bight gained through this research program to be put to its best use, allowing a range of scenarios and potential management options to be tested to

support whole of system management Right: Computer models will be a key tool in understanding decision making. the dynamics of the region. 18 Integration and Modelling

19 Contact For further information about the research program visit www.misa.net.au/GAB or contact the Research Office:

Dr Steven Lapidge Research Director The $20m Great Australian Great Australian Bight Research Program Bight Research Program Phone 0401 990 367 or has been funded by BP [email protected] ($14m), CSIRO ($3m) and Ms Jane Ham Marine Innovation Southern Science Support Officer Australia partners - the Great Australian Bight Research Program South Australian Research Phone (08) 8207 5458 or and Development Institute [email protected] (SARDI), the University of Adelaide and Flinders University - ($3m). Tracking data from multiple species will help identify areas of ecological significance. Image courtesy of Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions (right).

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