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No-take marine reserves are often located in remote locations far away from human activity, limiting perceived impact on extractive users but also reducing their use for investigating impacts of fishing. This study aimed to establish a benchmark in the distribution of fished species across the Ningaloo Marine Park - Commonwealth (NMP-Commonwealth), and adjacent comparable habitats within the Ningaloo Marine Park - State (NMP-State), in Western Australia to test if there was evidence of an effect of recreational fishing, as no commercial fishing is allowed within either marine park. We also examined whether the remote location of the newly established (2018) No-take Zone (NTZ), in NMP-Commonwealth, limits its use for studying the effects of fishing. Throughout the NMP-Commonwealth and NMP-State, where recreational fishing is permitted, we expected the abundance of recreationally fished fish species to increase with increasing distance to the nearest boat ramp, as a proxy of recreational fishing effort. Conversely, we did not expect the abundance of non-fished species and overall species richness to vary in response to the proxy for human activity. Distance to the nearest boat ramp was found to be a strong predictor of fished species abundance, indicating that the effect of recreational fishing can be detected across the NMP-Commonwealth. The effect of the NTZ on fished species abundance was weakly positive, but this difference across the NTZ is expected to increase over time. Habitat composition predictors were only found to influence species richness and non-fished species abundance. This study suggests a clear footprint of recreational fishing across the NMP-Commonwealth and as a result the new NTZ, despite its remote location, can act as a control in future studies of recreational fishing effects.

Australia to create world's largest marine parks.

During feeding and burrowing, many epibenthic and infaunal animals bioturbate sediments and form a range of traces called lebensspuren (German for 'life traces'), defined as any type of sedimentary structure produced by a living organism. During a 2020 survey along western Australia in the Gascoyne Marine Park, a distinct trace was observed several times, identical to the 'spider trace' observed in a 2007 survey along eastern Australia, over 4000 km away. The purpose of this brief note is to document and describe the occurrence of this unique and distinctive type of lebensspuren and to discuss ways in which similar observations may be effectively shared to increase our understanding of deep-sea biology.

Assessments of species distributions are crucial for informing conservation and management action. In this study, we used ensemble modelling to explain the distribution of Near Threatened Indo-Pacific (IP) bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in coastal waters at the North West Cape (NWC), Western Australia (WA), an area encompassing a marine protected area (MPA) and adjacent unprotected coastal waters. Analyses used dolphin sighting data collected during boat-based surveys conducted from 2013 to 2015 and 2018 to 2019. Overall, the distribution of IP bottlenose dolphins was best explained by distance to coast (up to 2,000 m) and distance to boat ramp (up to 7,000 m). Areas of high probability of occurrence for dolphins extended from the tip and down the eastern side of the NWC and overlapped with designated sanctuary zones as well as waters beyond the boundaries of the Ningaloo Marine Park (NMP). Distribution and habitat preferences varied slightly with season. In autumn, dolphin distribution was best explained by distance to coast and water depth with a higher likelihood of observing dolphins 1,000-2,000 m from the coast and in water depths of 7-10 m deep. During winter months, distance to coast (1,000-2,000 m) and sea surface temperature (SST) (21.5-23.5°C) were the most important explanatory variables, with presence in coastal lagoons to the west of the NWC more likely than other seasons. During spring, areas of moderate to high probability of dolphin occurrence were mainly located outside the NMP, with marine park zone (outside the NMP and Sanctuary zones within the NMP, the two zones with the highest probability of IP bottlenose dolphin occurrence) and water depth (waters 7-13 m deep) best explaining dolphin distribution. This study highlights the importance of inshore areas of the NWC for IP bottlenose dolphins and the potential vulnerability of this species to increasing and cumulative anthropogenic stressors associated with these areas. Results

In the third in a series of special reports on the nation's most extraordinary marine environments, Guardian Australia's ocean correspondent visits the proposed Great Kimberley marine park, and its amazing jewel in the crown: Horizontal Falls.

In the third in a series of special reports on the nation's most extraordinary marine environments, Guardian Australia's ocean correspondent visits the proposed Great Kimberley marine park, and its amazing jewel in the crown: Horizontal Falls.

Scientists circumnavigate and map the seafloor of the entire mesophotic (deep water) zone in ASHMORE Reef Marine Park.

A tiny wasp could save Christmas Island's spectacular red crabs from crazy ants.