2020-07-07 P&E Agenda - Item 3 - Attachment 1 - TNC Project Management Plan

Monitoring species interactions with restoration sites

Method: Reef life survey
Visual census techniques provide an effective, non-destructive way to monitor species, which
inhabit or visit the restoration sites because large amounts of data on a broad range of species
can be collected within a short dive period, with little post-processing time required.
The surveys include visual observations of mobile fish, cryptic fish, mobile epifauna, encrusting invertebrates,
algae and benthic substrate.
The method is based on the Reef Life Survey approach and includes:
    •    Fishes to be surveyed in two 5m wide by 5m high “blocks” parallel along 40m transects at each site.
    •    Invertebrates and cryptic fishes to be surveyed in two 1m wide “blocks” on either side of the transect
         line.
         Photo Quadrats: Digital photo-quadrats (~30cm of substrate) are taken at 2.5 m intervals along the
         transect line for algae, sessile invertebrates and benthic substrate (e.g. sand and seagrass).
For detailed Reef Life Survey methodology see (https://reeflifesurvey.com/reef-life-survey/about-rls/methods/)
Additionally, fish biomass is calculated by using a and b from the Length-Weight relationship of specific species
from Fishbase (http://www.fishbase.org/search.php).


Key Performance Indicators

i9. Total biomass/abundance of fish (g.m2 or g.m3 /ind.m2) – Total biomass of the fish assemblage over the area
of survey.


i10. Abundance of recreational/ commercially important fish – Biomass of species of fish that are of interest to
fishers (Snapper, King George Whiting, Flathead).


i11. Richness: increased mobile epifauna richness compared to control and before monitoring (Total number of
species) – Count of species found on the reef; a key measure of biodiversity.


i12. Benthic functional groups: Increased benthic functional diversity in contrast to control and before monitoring
– Increased benthic functional diversity in contrast to control and before monitoring


Method: Baited/ remote underwater video system (B/RUVS)
Baited/ Remote Underwater Video Systems (B/RUVS) are temporary stationary, seafloor camera
stations that use either bait (to attract the fish in their vicinity) or no bait and record species that
are utilising the habitat in the vicinity. Unbaited RUVs are useful in estuarine systems where
multiple structured habitats are in close vicinity (i.e. mangroves, seagrass and shellfish reefs) this
ensures that the fish observed in the videos are from the habitat that is being samples and not being
attracted from other nearby habitats using bait. B/RUVs can be used as single or stereo BRUVs i.e. using one or
two cameras. Stereo BRUVs give the added benefit of being able to accurately measure the length of fish from
video.
Utilising B/RUVS for sampling provides:
    •    Precise length measurements and therefore biomass estimates with analysis of paired images when
         cameras are used in stereo-pairs.
    •    Recording of detailed images of habitat types, which can be incorporated into the analysis.


80 | Bring Back the Fish MER plan 2020 – 2022