Define the roles of habitats in maintaining healthy fisheries production, ecosystems integrity and biodiversity Coastal habitats and the continental shelf contain many habitats, such as mangroves, seagrass beds, sponge gardens and reefs. However, information on the roles and locations of these habitats in maintaining healthy fisheries production, ecosystems integrity and biodiversity is inadequate.
All major habitats require a better understanding of habitat processes and dynamics.
The concept of a 'critical chain of habitats', with shifts between several habitat types as fish mature, may be fundamental to understanding life histories for coastal Australian species that are important to fisheries. However, basic life history information is still lacking for many. Furthermore, lack of knowledge of the relative contribution of nurseries and spawning grounds to fisheries throughout many species ranges has caused fundamental problems in valuation and protection of certain habitats. Develop knowledge of fisheries-habitat links and processes involved in those links. Develop knowledge of life histories for organisms associated with fisheries habitats.