Project Leader and Host
Organisation
Dr James Butler, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
Project Description and Objectives
For detailed descriptions of the outputs for
this project for Year 4 (2009/2010) of the MTSRF Research
Programme, see the Annual Research
Plan.
In Year 4 (2009/2010) Project 1.3.5 aims to:
-
Identify key indicators in the Torres Strait and thresholds of
concern for the identified indicators to be incorporated into a
Data Integration and Synthesis process that will assist development
of environmental reporting for the Torres Strait. The indicators
will align with the broad 'Land and Sea Program' issues and will be
operationalised to assist management in decision making through the
provision of precise information on environmental condition and
trends of the region. The MTSRF Community Liaison Officer and
relevant MTSRF researchers will assist in this process. Engagement
will include building on the work to date on the 'health of the
marine ecosystem', and facilitate dialogue about the linkages
between research and management approaches in the Torres Strait
region.
-
Evaluate the identified key indicators (and in discussion and
interaction with the stakeholders of Torres Strait), with the
following activities will occur:
-
The identification of existing management objectives associated
with the indicators;
-
The identification of conceptual models for determining
efficiency of indicators; and
-
The identification of potential thresholds of status and
trends in each issue;
Over Year 2 (2007/2008) of this project, relevant ecosystem
health indicators were identified. In Year 3 (2008/2009) available
data for indicators considered of most relevance to Torres Strait
communities were assessed and potential thresholds of concern
identified. The next stage of the project will focus on testing
appropriate forms of reporting with communities, with guidance from
the Torres Strait Regional Council and Torres Strait Regional
Authority, including communication products. This will integrate
with recent community-based monitoring initiatives (e.g.
DEWHA-funded Indigenous Ranger Program, Seagrass-Watch and
CSIRO-AFMA hand collectables monitors), and the Authority's Land
and Sea Management Strategy, to generate a network of monitoring
and reporting of ecosystem health. The opportunities for
contributing these data to the e-Atlas for
reporting will also be investigated.
