Impact in the Making: Voices Steering SEA-MES
What if marine research wasn’t just about collecting data, but was actively co-designed with stakeholders from the outset to target practical, real-world outcomes?
That’s exactly what the SEA-MES initiative aims to achieve.
Twenty-five years ago, scientists first explored Australia’s south-east marine ecosystems, capturing valuable baseline data. Today, SEA-MES—a four-voyage CSIRO initiative—is returning to these iconic marine sites aboard Australia’s premier marine research vessel, the RV Investigator. Now, each voyage prioritises tangible, real-world benefits, explicitly targeting outcomes across industry, marine park and sea-country management, and capacity building for future marine science leaders.
Every voyage, every cast, and every data point collected by SEA-MES involves collaboration with key stakeholders—from fisheries managers and energy sector leaders to Traditional Owners and Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs). This collaborative approach ensures research is aligned with real-world needs, generating actionable knowledge for sectors dependent on marine ecosystem health while simultaneously building critical national capability.
Imagine Parks Australia gaining improved ecological baselines—built on historical data spanning 25 years—to enhance their existing marine biodiversity management strategies. Consider fisheries regulators receiving insights that clarify interactions between climate change and fishing pressures, informing incremental improvements toward sustainable food security. Envision energy companies benefitting from enriched environmental impact assessments, allowing for better-informed decisions and reduced uncertainties.
Beyond these immediate applications, SEA-MES is actively nurturing Australia’s future marine science workforce. It offers structured, practical field experiences to ECOPs, including Indigenous marine researchers, creating a robust talent pipeline equipped to support Australia’s sustainable blue economy for decades ahead.
Rikki Taylor
- “Joining SEA-MES as a PhD student focused on sample collection, I quickly discovered the impact of collaboration in multidisciplinary projects. Working alongside experts from diverse fields we explored our marine ecosystem in a truly practical way. By my second voyage, I could contribute to fieldwork design and take on leadership responsibilities. This experience has made me a more well-rounded researcher, better equipped for marine warming challenges ahead.”
Daniel Corrie
- “The SEA-MES surveys give Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) a robust, independent understanding of south-east fish stocks and ecosystems, complementing data from commercial fishing boats. This strengthens our decision-making and adaptive management by enhancing stock assessments, ecosystem models and long-term monitoring capabilities. The surveys offer invaluable hands-on experience for the fisheries experts of the future, in collaboration with AFMA observers, and provide data-driven insights that support sustainable and resilient commercial fisheries amidst the threat of climate change.”
Toni Moate
- SEA-MES demonstrates the importance of the Marine National Facility and RV Investigator as national collaborative research infrastructure that CSIRO operates on behalf of the nation. Through access to this infrastructure, researchers can deliver comprehensive, whole-of-system studies like SEA-MES to help address the challenges we face in safeguarding the wellbeing and prosperity of Australia. We do this by: · offering the opportunity for repeat access to MNF capability to support research in the national interest · delivering an advanced platform and suite of scientific equipment to enable multidisciplinary science · providing the expertise to support the planning and delivery of complex research programs.