Nearshore and Coastal Habitat Mapping

From 21 to 24 July 2021 onboard M/V Offshore Solution, a team from Ocean Infinity (Australia) Pty Ltd (formerly iXblue Pty Ltd), in partnership with other experts, conducted an aerial survey and a hydrographic survey as part of the Norfolk Island Nearshore and Coastal Habitat Mapping project. The team covered 108.6km2 of the Norfolk Shelf with a multibeam echosounder, a total of 44 locations of Baited Remote Underwater Videos in the north-east and south of the Island and a couple of sub-surface profiles with the Sub-Bottom Profiler. The coastal survey was conducted by Tellus4D Geoimaging in November 2021. The drone Mavic 2 was deployed from shore, to obtain high resolution photogrammetry at seven coastal sites: Captain Cook Lookout, Anson Bay, Puppy’s Point, Headstone Point, Slaughter Bay and Bumboras Beach, and Cemetery and Emily Bay, for a total of 14km2.

 

Prior to this project, Norfolk Island Marine Park dataset was limited to a terrestrial lidar survey from CSIRO and a nearshore seafloor classification from satellite bathymetry (EOMAP).

 

This seafloor mapping survey provides information about some of the coastal sites of the Island and its marine shelf condition (morphology, nature, fish communities…). The information will help to manage the park and guide further studies, such as additional bathymetric survey within sensitive areas, investigation on the coastline, protection of fish and other marine species programs and a ground-truthing campaign to challenge hypotheses on the seabed nature and habitats.

 

We thank Dr Kellie Pendoley for her persistence in obtaining permission to republish this benchmark report Norfolk Island Nearshore and Coastal Habitat Mapping.