AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Shellfish reef locations (NESP MB B4)

We evaluate the status of shellfish reef ecosystems in Australia including their historical distribution and loss, regulation and management and identify current research priorities, policies and conservation mechanisms that can enable their future protection and repair. Eight species of shellfish were identified as developing complex, three-dimensional reef systems over large scales in intertidal and subtidal areas across tropical, subtropical and temperate Australia. A dramatic decline in the extent and condition of Australia’s shellfish reef ecosystems occurred during the mid-1800s to early 1900s in concurrence with extensive harvesting for food and lime production, habitat modification, disease outbreaks and a decline in water quality. Despite early attempts during the late 1800s to curb over exploitation and repair degraded reefs through protection, primitive aquaculture and enhancement, living examples of shellfish reefs are now rare. Only one Ostrea angasi reef is known to exist that is comparable in size to reefs historically commercially fished, compared to at least 118 previously known locations. Out of the 60 historically fished locations identified for Saccostrea glomerata, only five are known to still contain commercially harvestable sized reefs. The introduced oyster Crasostrea gigas is increasing in reef extent, whilst data on the remaining five reef-building species is limited, preventing a detailed assessment of their current status. Our knowledge of the extent, physical characteristics, biodiversity and ecosystem services of natural shellfish reefs in Australia is extremely limited. 

Australia is well equipped to reverse the decline of shellfish reef ecosystems with a number of state and federal protection laws, international conventions and management mechanisms already in place, all of which can be used to help protect remaining reefs and aid in future recovery. Several restoration projects have recently begun as awareness of historical loss grows amongst the community and groups become motivated to implement repair. As momentum continues to grow, Australia could serve as a long-term model for other regions that may currently have limited understanding of their shellfish reefs ecosystems but wish to work towards their future conservation.

Data to be made publicly available with publication of manuscript by end 2018.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Solander Trip 20251231 From 31 Dec 2025 To 04 Jan 2026

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Solander Trip 20251231.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Cape Ferguson Trip 7499 From 17 Sep 2020 To 21 Sep 2020

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Cape Ferguson Trip 7499.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
SA DEWNR - South Australian Benthic Habitat Survey Sites [for NESP D3]

Point data collected from video drops identifying benthic habitats such as seagrass, macroalgae and reef, collected during field work in 2007 to 2011. Used to support the Benthic Habitat Mapping project undertaken by DENR to map the nearshore benthic habitats of South Australia

Tags: HABITAT, MODIFIER, SUBSTRATE, TAPE, TAPE_DATE, VIDEO_CLASS
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Solander Trip 20161106 From 05 Nov 2016 To 07 Nov 2016

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Solander Trip 20161106.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
NESP MB Project A4 - The status of human-shark interactions and initiatives to mitigate risk in Australia

This record provides an overview of the scope and research output of the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub project "The status of human-shark interactions and initiatives to mitigate risk in Australia". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata.

Considerable political, public and media attention has recently been focussed on human-shark interactions, specifically surrounding shark attack and ways to mitigate this risk. Finding the most appropriate policy balance between conservation of sharks, maximising public safety and understanding the broader social and economic ramifications/drivers for doing so is a continuing challenge for Government. This project will review the status of human-shark interactions in Australia, provide a synthesis of current initiatives to reduce risk, review recent international efforts to address these issues and identify knowledge gaps to provide an informed base for determining the most appropriate future research and policy support.

The project will develop a background document that:
• Provides a synthesis of the current state of knowledge of shark-human interactions in Australia, focussing specifically on species such as white sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks
• Identifies what initiatives are currently underway nationally to address human-shark interactions including the status of current research as well as current management and policy initiatives.
• Identifies technological developments within Australia and internationally in this space
• Identifies lessons and experiences from these initiatives
• Identifies issues and knowledge gaps
• Provides guidance to the Department regarding further investment that is cognisant of State Government initiatives and requirements and ensure a coordinated national knowledge base for addressing these issues

Tags: National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub, human-shark interactions, risk mitigation approaches, shark
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Solander Trip 7407 From 28 Apr 2020 To 09 May 2020

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Solander Trip 7407.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
GBR - Hard coral biodiversity surveys of the Great Barrier Reef - Spatial interpolation - 1994 - 2001 (MTSRF 1.1.5, AIMS)

The purpose of this study was to quantify patterns in scleractinian biodiversity, and in the cover of the main benthos groups, on the Great Barrier Reef. Taxonomic surveys of hard corals conducted on 110 reefs (599 transects) of the GBR between 1994 and 2001. Surveys are based on rapid ecological assessments (taxonomic inventories based on swim surveys) conducted at two depth zones (deep and shallow), typically at two sites per reef. The data are abundance estimates of each species. Richness is calculated based on reef-averaged data.

The data set also contains visual estimates of the cover of the main benthos groups such as hard corals, soft corals, macroalgae and crustose coralline algae.

As part of the Reef Atlas project (now the eAtlas) the coral observations were interpolated over the whole GBR by Glenn De'ath using Generalized Additive Models with a Quasipoisson fit. This produced a gridded version of the dataset and is available as a KML and ASCII Grid file (WGS84).

Data Units:
- Abundance estimates of each species: 6-point rating (absent, rare, uncommon, common, abundant, dominant);
- Richness: number of species per reef;
- Cover of benthos groups: 6-point rating: 0 = none recorded; 1 = 1–10; 2 = 11–30; 3 = 31–50; 4 = 51–75; 5 = 76–100

References:
- Devantier LM, De'ath G, Done TJ, Turak E (1998). Ecological assessment of a complex natural system: A case study from the Great Barrier Reef. Ecological Applications, 8, 480-496
- Fabricius KE, De’ath G, McCook L, Turak E &amp; Williams DMc (2005) Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients on the inshore Great Barrier Reef. Marine Pollution Bulletin 51: 384–398
- Devantier L, De'ath G, Done T, Turak E, Fabricius K (2006) Species richness and community structure of reef-building corals on the nearshore Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 25:329-340

Tags: marine
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Solander Trip 8400 From 09 Dec 2024 To 23 Dec 2024

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Solander Trip 8400.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Cape Ferguson Trip 7163 From 16 Jun 2019 To 21 Jun 2019

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Cape Ferguson Trip 7163.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Benthic community data from Ellis (1985) and Long (1989) Fjords from photoquadrats

Marine benthic community data obtained from photoquadrats taken in 1985 (Ellis Fjord) and 1989 (Long Fjord) in the Vestfold Hills. Data includes % cover of biota and substrata, and counts of some taxa, generally larger or individual sessile or mobile species.  These data are part of the BEAUT (Biodiversity of East Antarctica - Underwater and Terrestrial) project.  See the parent record for more details.

These data are available as an Excel spreadsheet.

Tags: 4633, AAS 4633, AMD, AMD/AU, BEAUT, BENTHIC COMMUNITY, CEOS, CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > ELLIS FJORD, CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > LONG FJORD, DIVER FIELD SURVEY, EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY DYNAMICS > BIODIVERSITY FUNCTIONS, EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY STRUCTURE, EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC, EARTH SCIENCE > SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS > VISIBLE IMAGERY, FIELD SURVEYS > FIELD SURVEYS, GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR, PHOTOQUADRAT FRAME, PHOTOQUADRATS, QUADRATS > QUADRATS
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Cape Ferguson Trip 8010 From 27 Feb 2023 To 19 Mar 2023

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Cape Ferguson Trip 8010.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Solander Trip 5671 From 11 Dec 2012 To 23 Dec 2012

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Solander Trip 5671.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Marine pressures operating within Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (NESP MaC 1.3)

The National Environmental Science Program projects SS2 and D7 (under the Marine Biodiversity Hub) and 1.3 (under the Marine and Coastal Hub) were instigated to support the design of Monitoring Effectiveness (ME) framework for Australian Marine Park (AMP) estate, and contribute to the AMP Science Plan.

The overall objective of these projects was to provide a nationally accepted common language to describe natural values and pressures, and a robust approach to combining this information to inform national priorities for monitoring inside AMPs. Broadly, the following approach was taken:
1. Identify Key Natural Values (KNVs) in AMP networks through an expert elicitation process,
2. Develop a national-scale ecosystem map via a combination of depth and characteristic habitat using the ME framework 
3. Collate and synthesise pressures operating within Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and state/territory waters, as defined by the ME framework's pressures common language
4. Provide a spatially explicit analysis of the relative risks posed to marine conservation values, as defined by the ME framework’s natural values hierarchy.

This record describes component 3: collating the pressures by ME common language for all of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and state/territory waters; and determining the cumulative pressure exerted by each activity/sub-activity combination.

Components 1, 2 &amp; 4 are described elsewhere.

Tags: MERI, Management Effectiveness (ME), National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub, cumulative pressures, monitoring, priorities, research
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Cape Ferguson Trip 4917 From 10 Mar 2010 To 14 Mar 2010

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Cape Ferguson Trip 4917.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS - Deep Water Moorings - Southern Ocean Flux Station (SOFS) - Surface properties (real-time)

This data collection consists of observations at the sea surface made by the Southern Ocean Flux Station (SOFS) mooring, including meteorological parameters, downwelling radiation, and sea water temperature and salinity. Hourly averages of each parameter are delivered in near real-time. SOFS is an observing platform in the Sub-Antarctic Zone, approximately 350 nautical miles south-west of Tasmania. It obtains frequent measurements of the surface and deep ocean properties that control the transfer of heat, moisture, energy and CO2 between the atmosphere and the upper ocean to improve understanding of climate and carbon processes. The mooring was first deployed at (46.7S, 142E) in March 2010.

Tags: Atmosphere | Atmospheric Pressure | Surface Pressure, Atmosphere | Atmospheric Temperature | Air Temperature, Atmosphere | Atmospheric Water Vapor | Humidity, Atmosphere | Atmospheric Winds | Surface Winds, Atmosphere | Precipitation | Precipitation Amount, Atmosphere | Radiation Budget | Longwave Radiation, Atmosphere | Radiation Budget | Shortwave Radiation, Buoys | Moored Buoys, Countries | Australia, Global / Oceans | Southern Ocean, Oceans | Ocean Temperature | Water Temperature, Oceans | Salinity/density | Conductivity, Oceans | Salinity/density | Salinity, States, Territories (Australia) | Tasmania
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Solander Trip 6995 From 15 Aug 2018 To 05 Sep 2018

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Solander Trip 6995.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
NESP MaC Project 3.13 - Eastern Grey Nurse Shark population abundance and trend, 2023-2025 (CSIRO, NSW DPI)

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2023 project "Eastern Grey Nurse Shark population abundance and trend". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata.

Grey nurse sharks are a nationally significant threatened species, with Australia’s eastern population listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act. The Recovery Plan for the Grey Nurse Shark identifies the need for robust estimates of abundance, population trend, age structure, survival and range, particularly where conservation measures such as spatial closures and protection of aggregation sites are in place.

This project refined abundance and trend estimates for the eastern Australian grey nurse shark population by combining biopsy sampling, genetic analysis, stereo-video length measurement and statistical modelling. Tissue samples from more than 300 sharks were analysed using close-kin mark-recapture methods to identify family relationships and estimate adult population size. Stereo-video measurements supported improved age estimation using Australian-specific length-at-age models, reducing reliance on overseas growth data.

Findings from the project provide a stronger evidence base for Australian and New South Wales government decision-making on grey nurse shark recovery and conservation. Refined estimates of adult abundance and population trend (described in the Final Project Report) enables reduced uncertainty in recovery assessments, and supports evaluation of current management arrangements, including spatial protections for aggregation sites.

Outputs
• Final project report [written]

Tags: Carcharias taurus, Close-Kin Mark-Recapture, Grey nurse shark, National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub, population abundance, species distribution, threatened species
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
NESP MaC Project 5.1 – Mapping Sea Country and investigating conservation and restoration opportunities along the Kakadu coast and Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, 2025-2026 (CDU, JCU, UQ, Kakadu National Park)

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub project Mapping Sea Country and investigating conservation and restoration opportunities along the Kakadu coast and Garig Gunak Barlu National Park. For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata.

This project addresses the need for contemporary biodiversity and habitat data in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park (Cobourg Peninsula) and coastal Kakadu National Park, essential for effective Sea Country planning and management. Successful co-management of protected areas requires strong support from the government to enable local communities to have autonomy in decision-making to benefit both the environment and livelihoods. The research focuses on a two-way knowledge transfer process to integrate Western science and Traditional Owners' knowledge to improve knowledge on the extent, condition, and biodiversity of coastal ecosystem habitats under current management and threats. This will empower Traditional Owners to make informed decisions on managing their coastal ecosystems, including restoration opportunities under emerging environmental markets, to improve the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems under environmental changes while enhancing livelihoods. 

To achieve this, researchers will collaborate with Traditional Owners to map coastal habitats, assess the biodiversity of coastal habitats, and evaluate environmental changes due to sea level rise and feral ungulate impacts. Outputs include co-authored publications, visually engaging materials, and a co-designed mapping project. Outcomes include better management of Kakadu National Park and Cobourg Peninsula by empowering Traditional Owners with enhanced knowledge that they can use to make on-ground decisions that benefit their communities and biodiversity conservation. This collaboration ensures that Traditional Owners' perspectives guide the management and preservation of culturally significant sites while exploring socio-economic opportunities in emerging environmental markets.

Planned Outputs
• Biodiversity and habitat data for the Cobourg Peninsula and coastal Kakadu regions [field surveys &amp; analysis]
• Collaborative mapping with Traditional Owners
• Assessment of potential risks to cultural values from sea-level rise and feral ungulates on coastal ecosystems
• Final technical report with analysed data and a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]

Tags: World
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
Australia's Submarine Telecommunication Cable Locations 2021

Submarine Cable Locations within the 3 cable protection zones, Perth (Western Australia), Northern Sydney (New South Wales), and Southern Sydney (New South Wales). Current as of 2021.

Submarine Cable Locations within protection zones, published 2021. 
Location information compiled from spreadsheets provided to Geoscience Australia from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) - https://www.acma.gov.au/ 

ACMA has declared three protection zones over cables of national significance in New South Wales and Western Australia. 

Two protection zones are situated off the NSW coast. Both of these zones protect branches of the Australia Japan Cable network (linking Australia to Japan via Guam) and the Southern Cross Cable network (linking Australia to the USA via NZ and Hawaii). The NSW protection zones are:

the Northern Sydney Protection Zone, commencing at Narrabeen Beach; and
the Southern Sydney Protection Zone, commencing at Tamarama and Clovelly beaches.
A third protection zone, situated in WA, protects the SEA-ME-WE3 cable (linking Australia to South East Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe)

the Perth Protection Zone commences at City Beach in Perth, WA.
Each of the protection zones stretch from the shore out to a depth of 2,000 metres and extend one nautical mile either side of the cable. The Sydney protection zones also include the area between adjacent cables.

Within these protection zones, activities that pose a risk of damage to submarine cables are prohibited or restricted. Penalties apply for causing damage to a cable or contravening a prohibition, or restriction, in a protection zone. For further details on the protection zones, including a summary or full description of prohibited and restricted activities, detailed maps and further information about the protection zones, visit the Australian Communications and Media Authority or call 1300 856 337.

Commonwealth of Australia (Australian Communications and Media Authority) 2021

Downloads and Links:
Submarine Telecommunications Cables WA Protection Zone Geographic Coordinates
Submarine Telecommunications Cables NSW Protection Zones Geographic Coordinates

Commonwealth legislation and related documents:
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/F2007L03914

Tags: Infrastructure
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network
IMOS Ships of Opportunity Underway Data from AIMS Vessel RV Solander Trip 7055 From 04 Dec 2018 To 17 Dec 2018

'Ships of Opportunity' (SOOP) is a facility of the Australian 'Integrated Marine Observing System' (IMOS) project. This data set was collected by the SOOP sub-facility 'Sensors on Tropical Research Vessels' aboard the RV Solander Trip 7055.

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network