Why SEA-MES?

The marine waters of Southeast (SE) Australia are one of a series of global ocean hotspots. The East Australian Current is extending south and warming at four times the average global rate causing many species to extend distributions southward, with potential changes in local abundance. Extreme climatic events, such as marine heatwaves, also impact the region, with projections showing these changes are expected to continue into the next century.

The waters also support valuable amenities including marine parks, fisheries, an extensive network of oil and gas infrastructure, and other emerging industries.

The Southeast Marine Park Network protects and maintains marine biodiversity and the long-term ecological viability of the important marine ecosystem, while the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) provides the bulk of fresh fish to Melbourne and Sydney markets. Oil and gas infrastructure has provided energy for 50 years is now approaching end-of-life and will soon to be decommissioned, and new initiatives are exploring the potential of offshore renewable energy generation and carbon sequestration.

There are increasing concerns about the ecological, economic and social sustainability of the ecosystem.

The Southeast Australian Marine Ecosystem Survey (SEA-MES) will revisit previous bio-physical and ecosystem surveys of the Australian SE continental shelf using CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator, and document changes in the ecosystem over 25 years. It will attempt to untangle the effects of human activities including climate change and fisheries on the ecosystem.

Through a range of biological sampling techniques we will capture an understanding of the ecosystem and foodweb structures from primary production of phytoplankton and benthic algae, through to secondary production of zooplankton, and the diets of fishes from stomach content analysis.

We will also undertake water column sampling to measure the physical and chemical properties of the ocean, fly a video system over the ocean bed to measure the benthic habitat, and test new ways of understanding the ecosystem using DNA from tissue and free-floating in the marine environment.

The project is supported by a grant of sea time on RV Investigator from the CSIRO Marine National Facility.