Scientists on board CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator are preparing to conduct a dedicated deep-sea survey of marine life in the Coral Sea Marine Park, off the coast of Queensland.
This new research voyage will use RV Investigator's extensive suite of scientific equipment including deep towed camera, eDNA sampler, trawls and sleds to explore biodiversity and better understand ecological changes.
The research will be led by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, with support from Parks Australia, Bush Blitz and The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, and in collaboration with a network of leading museums, universities and research institutes.
Voyage Chief Scientist Dr Will White from CSIRO said the 35-day research voyage would generate vital data and samples that will inform future conservation of benthic (on or just above the seafloor) communities and increase Australia's knowledge of marine ecosystems and biodiversity in the region.
"The benthic zone is the ecological region at the interface of the ocean and the Earth's crust, so it means we'll be exploring the deepest habitats where some of the most interesting and least known species of fish and invertebrates live," Dr White said.
"These include fish without eyes, swimming sea cucumbers, deep-sea corals and many species perhaps never before seen by human eyes.
"With the help of an expert team of scientists, CSIRO technicians and crew on board, our goal is to learn more about what's in the Coral Sea Marine Park and discover and describe as many new species to science as we can.
"This work will allow us to better understand what lives within the park, how unique and connected different marine species are, and ultimately how we can ensure long-term protection of this biodiversity."
The team will also map the seafloor in high resolution using RV Investigator's advanced multibeam echosounders which will help improve marine park managers' understanding of underwater habitats.
The Coral Sea Marine Park is the largest marine park in Australian waters, covering 989,836 km2 and protecting vast reef areas, and 67 cays and islets. It is part of a network of 60 Australian Marine Parks managed by Parks Australia that cover around 43 per cent, or 3.8 million km2, of Australia's marine environment.
Branch Head of Parks Australia's Marine and Island Parks, Shaun Barclay, said voyages such as this are vital to the ongoing understanding and protection of habitats and the many species that call Australian Marine Parks home.
"Parts of the Coral Sea Marine Park are largely unexplored, making this voyage a true frontier of marine biodiversity discovery," Mr Barclay said.
"This is a collaborative effort between multiple partners and experts, and we hope to see some amazing discoveries.
"Information collected on this voyage will be vital to adding to the understanding of Australian Marine Parks and will assist Parks Australia in managing the Coral Sea Marine Park through evidence-based decision making."
Scientists on board will also conduct regular live crosses to schools around the country, supported by Bush Blitz, to showcase what working as a researcher at sea is like.
Following the voyage, the data and specimens collected will be used by a team of national and international scientists to advance our knowledge of Australia's deep-sea environments and to support marine park management and future research.
This research is supported by a grant of sea time on RV Investigator from the CSIRO Marine National Facility which is supported by the Australian Government's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
