Fish and benthic surveys around remote Timor Sea Shoals, using baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) (TM)

BRUVS (TM) were deployed in 3 depth zones, 20-30 m, 40-60 m and 90-110 m at 3 shoals near Evans Shoal, 6 Karmt shoals and 6 Sahul shoals as well as 4 adjacent sites in 96-100 m on the shelf in the Timor Sea. A series of 6 BRUVS (TM) were set in a line at each site and depth.Sampling positions, depth, time and associated operational data were secured at the time of deployment. The parameters recorded during the tape reading process were:- classification of the habitat (a still image is grabbed for each set)- identification to species level of all vertebrates observed (following the CAABCodes Australian standard naming convention)- the relative abundance of each species (recorded as 'maxN' - the maximum number visible at one time at any point on the tape)- the 'time of arrival' (Tarr) of each fish species- the life stage of each species (adult or juvenile)- the time elapsed before maxN (TmaxN) and feeding (Tf) was observed for each species The purpose of this project was to record the fish, shark, ray and sea snake faunas, and associated benthic habitats, of the major clusters of Timor Sea shoals at 3 depth zones, 20-30 m, 40-60 m and 90-110 m. Towed camera footage was also recorded in the areas where BRUVS (TM) were deployed.

本研究布设的诱饵远程水下视频系统（Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems，缩写BRUVS (TM)）按3个水深梯度（20-30米、40-60米、90-110米）部署于东帝汶海的以下区域：埃文斯浅滩周边3处浅滩、6处卡姆特浅滩、6处萨胡尔浅滩，以及大陆架水深96-100米的4处邻近站位。
每个站位与对应水深梯度处均布设一组共6台BRUVS (TM)，呈直线排列。设备部署时即留存采样站位、水深、作业时间及相关作业数据。
视频带判读过程中记录的参数包括：1. 生境分类（每个布设组均抓取一张静态图像用于生境判定）；2. 所有观测到的脊椎动物的物种水平鉴定（遵循CAABCodes澳大利亚标准命名规范）；3. 各物种的相对丰度（记录为"maxN"，即录像任意时刻可见的最大个体数）；4. 各鱼类物种的"到达时间"（Tarr）；5. 各物种的生活阶段（成体或幼体）；6. 各物种达到maxN的耗时（TmaxN）以及观测到摄食行为的耗时（Tf）。
本项目的研究目标为记录东帝汶海主要浅滩群在上述3个水深梯度下的鱼类、鲨鱼、鳐类及海蛇类动物区系，以及相关联的底栖生境。此外，在BRUVS (TM)布设区域内同步录制了拖曳式摄像影像资料。