Marine Natural Values Study Summary - Parks Victoria

threats through processes such as theState of the Parks evaluation andsetting of desired conservationoutcomes. Through these processesParks Victoria has identified emergingthreats and developed appropriatemanagement responses.Serious threats include invasive marinepests, illegal fishing, disturbance andpredation of birds, nutrients fromrunoff, increased sedimentation,industrial spills, trampling andcontaminated groundwater.Several introduced species have beenfound including the Japanese kelpUndaria pinnatifida, red algaeGrateloupia turuturu, green shorecrab Carcinus maenas and EurpoeanFan Worm Sabella spallanzanii.There have also been reportsof the purple urchin Heliocidariserythrogramma increasing inabundance and forming barrenshabitat (usually devoid of macroalgae)in the northern part of the bay,including in Point Cooke MarineSanctuary. It is unclear whether therecent increases in abundance are partof a natural cycle or a persistentincrease in this native species.Climate change also poses a seriousmedium to long term threat to naturalvalues. Parks Victoria will use anThe blubber jellyfish Catostylus mosaicus.Photo by Andrew Christie, Marine Care Point Cooke.adaptive management approachto develop responses and actions thatfocus on priority climate change issuessuch as extreme weather events andexisting risks that are likely to beexacerbated by climate change.Research and MonitoringParks Victoria has establishedextensive marine research andmonitoring programs that addressimportant management challengesfor the marine national parks andsanctuaries. These focus on improvingbaseline knowledge, as well as appliedmanagement questions.Since the establishment of the parks in2002 our knowledge and understandingof natural values and threats for thesystem have improved significantlythrough the marine science program.Much of the research has beenundertaken as part of the ResearchPartners Program involvingcollaboration with variousresearch institutions.There are five ongoing researchprojects and one habitat mappingproject that are relevant to PointCooke Marine Sanctuary, while sixresearch projects and one habitatmapping project have already beencompleted. The sanctuary has ongoingintertidal and shallow subtidal reefmonitoring programs.While recognising there are stillknowledge gaps Parks Victoria willcontinue to focus on addressingthe information needs that willassist management.For more information, includingmarine habitat mapping products,please see the full versions of theMarine Natural Values reportson www.parks.vic.gov.au.45