parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...

Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79
Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study
CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... v
CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................... vi
INDEX OF FIGURES AND TABLES ................................................................................. viii
FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ viii
TABLES .......................................................................................................................... xi
ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... xiii
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Victoria’s Marine Protected Areas ............................................................................... 1
1.2 Purpose of Report ...................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Structure ..................................................................................................................... 2
1.4 Methods ..................................................................................................................... 2
1.5 Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions ....................................................................... 4
1.6 Other Victorian Bioregions .......................................................................................... 6
2 Marine National Parks .................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Wilsons Promontory MNP – Flinders Bioregion .......................................................... 8
2.1.1 PHYSICAL PARAMETERS & PROCESSES ...................................................... 9
2.1.2 MARINE HABITAT DISTRIBUTION .................................................................. 12
2.1.3 MARINE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES .......................................................... 14
2.1.4 SPECIES OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ............................................. 20
2.1.5 MAJOR THREATS............................................................................................ 27
2.1.6 CURRENT RESEARCH AND MONITORING ................................................... 29
2.1.7 KNOWLEDGE GAPS ........................................................................................ 31
2.2 Ninety Mile Beach MNP - Twofold Shelf Bioregion ................................................... 32
2.2.1 PHYSICAL PARAMETERS & PROCESSES .................................................... 33
2.2.2 MARINE HABITAT DISTRIBUTION .................................................................. 34
2.2.3 MARINE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES .......................................................... 37
2.2.4 SPECIES OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ............................................. 38
2.2.5 MAJOR THREATS............................................................................................ 40
2.2.6 CURRENT RESEARCH AND MONITORING ................................................... 42
2.2.7 KNOWLEDGE GAPS ........................................................................................ 43
2.3 Point Hicks MNP – Twofold Shelf Bioregion ............................................................. 44
2.3.1 PHYSICAL PARAMETERS & PROCESSES .................................................... 45
2.3.2 MARINE HABITAT DISTRIBUTION .................................................................. 47
2.3.3 MARINE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES .......................................................... 51
2.3.4 SPECIES OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ............................................. 58
2.3.5 MAJOR THREATS............................................................................................ 62
2.3.6 CURRENT RESEARCH AND MONITORING ................................................... 65
2.3.7 KNOWLEDGE GAPS ........................................................................................ 66
2.4 Cape Howe MNP – Twofold Shelf Bioregion ............................................................ 68
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