The promotional video (26MB) is a teaser for the project and is a good place to start !
The survey encompassed waters between 2.5 m and 42 m deep and identified several habitat types around Norfolk:
(1) hardbottom rock with macroalgae and coral;
(2) urchin barrens; and
(3) sandy seabed.
Corals were found in waters up to 40m deep. The survey also confirmed that there is no seagrass around Norfolk Island.
The video footage suggests this temperate coral habitat is characterised by diverse coral and macroalgal assemblages. These habitats are locally modified by relatively high sea urchin populations which have created pockets of urchin barrens around the Island.
This high-level habitat map will be used for Marine Park planning purposes, development applications and EPBC Act referrals within the nearshore water of the Norfolk Marine Park, where currently specific zoning exists. For example, there is an urgent need for ship anchoring zones and anchor exclusion zones to be identified as well as potential locations for permanent moorings, which currently do not exist.
The technical report Nearshore Marine Habitat Mapping of the Norfolk Marine Park (9.5MB) is now available. (Alternative link is to DOI).
Click on the image to enlarge a Lidar map of seabed bathymetry at Norfolk Island with marine mapping survey points. (5.8MB).
.jpg)
Click on the images:
for Map 1238 for Map 1239 for Map 1240 for Map 1241.
