McCormack, C.V., Sankey, T.L., Carter, A.B., Rasheed, M.A., and Davies, J.N. (2012) Gladstone Permanent Transect Seagrass Monitoring: August 2012 update report. Report. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Cairns, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

[Extract] Seagrass has been monitored quarterly at permanent transects at seven locations in Port Curtis and Rodds Bay since November 2009 (excluding Redcliffe which has been monitored since August 2010) (see maps on pages 3 to 6). The program was established to determine within and among year variation in seagrass condition and form the key sensitive receptor sites for assessing seagrass condition during the Western Basin dredging operation. In September 2011, Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited commissioned additional monthly surveys outside of the regular quarterly monitoring to provide more frequent assessments of seagrass condition during dredging operations. These additional monthly surveys are conducted aerially to avoid damaging sites through repeated on-ground sampling.

An additional permanent transect site was established at Wiggins Island (December 2011) due to the development of the Wiggins Island Coal Terminal near the original site. An additional site was also established at Facing Island (March 2012) where changes in meadow distribution resulted in the original site being situated at the edge of the meadow. In August 2012, an additional site was also established at Redcliffe. This site is located adjacent to the main channel where any impacts associated with dredging are more likely to occur. Both the original and new sites at these locations are being monitored to determine if there are significant differences in seagrass communities between sites.

In August 2012 three new sites were established in the Narrows region to monitor seagrass during dredging occurring as part of the Narrows Pipeline Crossing (Map 5).

This update report provides results for seagrass percent cover from the most recent monthly survey of permanent transects undertaken from the 14th August to 22nd August 2012. We also present results from an assessment of the seed bank at permanent transect locations.

Item ID:	39918
Item Type:	Report (Report)
Keywords:	recovery, resilience, management, environmental monitoring, marine monitoring, marine water quality, seagrass, reproduction, seagrass habitats, Great Barrier Reef, port development, dredging
Funders:	Gladstone Ports Corporation, Qld Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Fisheries Queensland
Date Deposited:	09 Sep 2015 04:42
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050206 Environmental Monitoring @ 50% 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050205 Environmental Management @ 50%
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960503 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Coastal and Estuarine Environments @ 50% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960507 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Marine Environments @ 50%
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