WAMSI Node 4.3.1a - Trophic interactions - Assessing the ecological impact of the Western Rock lobster fishery in fished and unfished deep water areas

This study aims to use closed areas to examine the potential for the western rock lobster fishery to impact ecosystem structure, function, diversity, productivity and habitats through the removal of target stocks. The project will provide baseline information essential for the assessment of the impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem including information on trophic linkages between lobsters and their predators and prey.5 main datasets related to this project:a) Hydroacoustic data collected by FUGRO including high-resolution bathymetry for the area surrounding the new closed area. b) Raw towed video footage collected by UWA to ground truth hydroacoustic data and develop predictive modelsc) Predictive models showing biota and substrate (see thumbnail).d) Catch information from annual lobster sampling in the closed area (prior to closure) that forms the basis of future monitoring and has been used in building predictive relationships between lobsters and habitats. e) High resolution benthic images collected with the AUV (in conjunction with WAMSI 4.2) and available via IMOS portal.This project is also part the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation project FRDC 2008/013 - "Assessing the ecological impact of the Western Rock lobster fishery in fished and unfished areas".