Building oceanic reef resilience (ODR program)

Coral reefs around the world are degrading. Australia’s coral reefs are no exception, given the pervasive threat of climate change and coral bleaching. Local management actions cannot directly mitigate impacts from climate change. However, new approaches to research and management, that apply novel technologies and Modelling and Decision Support (M&DS) tools, can slow the rate of degradation and increase resilience to future conditions.The project focuses on 2 oceanic marine parks of Ashmore and Mermaid reef and aims to: Improved knowledge of the distribution of coral species and habitats on Oceanic Marine Parks through application of innovative technologies and approaches to data collection and habitat modelling Identify key threats to Oceanic Marine Parks and quantify the responses of different coral communities according to processes of impact and recovery. Provide a framework explicitly linking research and monitoring on coral reefs to models exploring future management strategies. Provide the information required to highlight the value of NW Australia’s Oceanic Marine Parks and associated research to scientists, managers, politicians and public. Establish Traditional Owner connections to Sea Country and/or submerged offshore features and species of cultural value.