This dataset series comprises fish species composition data collected during the trawl and bottom sediment survey carried out in April 1985 and April 1986. This data was collected and used to compare fish abundance for this region with the pre-trawling surveys done by Munro between 1963 and 1965. Sediment samples were collected during the 1986 survey.

The dataset comprises sediment data for samples taken from box core deployments completed on research voyage SS 03/2005. The recorded sediment properties include gravel, sand, mud and carbonate content. The survey design was a natural experiment (i.e. control-impact, but not before-after) to test the long-term, broadscale effects of prawn fishing on non-target species and habitats. Deployments were stratified by fishing intensity (three strata) and day/night. The survey was repeated in three regions: (a) north of Groote Eylandt, (b) north-east of the Vanderlins, and (c) north of Mornington Island.

These data, reported in various volumes of CSIRO's "Oceanographical Station List" series between 1952 and 1957, comprise mainly measurements of temperature, salinity, nitrate, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen at estuary mouths and upstream for various distances, ranging from a few miles to almost 150 miles in some cases: e.g. for Tasmania's Derwent River, 20 stations were measured including various tributaries (Clyde, Ouse, Nive and Shannon) as well as lakes in the river system (Great Lake, Lake St. Clair). Sampling started in the 1940s and included the Nerang and Coomera Rivers, Moreton Bay and Brisbane River, Logan River and Dunwich Oyster Lease (QLD); Richmond River, Clarence River, Macleay River, Hastings River, Manning River, Port Stephens, Tilligerry Creek, Hawkesbury River, Middle Harbour and Port Jackson, Georges River-Botany Bay, Port Hacking, Lake Illawarra, Shoalhaven River, Jervis Bay, Clyde River, Moruya River, Tuross River, and Wagonga Inlet (NSW); Port Phillip Heads (VIC); and Tamar River, Derwent River, Huon River, D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Lake Dobson, and Penna Dam (TAS). In the early 1950s the study was extended to Fitzroy River, Mary River, Gladstone Harbour, Sandy Island Strait and Moreton Island Lagoon (QLD); Maianbar-Port Hacking and Lake Macquarie (NSW); Pittwater (TAS); and King George Sound, Wilson's Inlet, Nornalup Inlet, Hardy Inlet, Leschanault Inlet, Peel-Harvey Estuary and Swan River (WA). 24-hour studies were carried out at some of the sites, and bottom samples also taken for measuring phosphorus, iron, organic carbon and total nitrogen. By 1955-6, sampling was being mostly discontinued in favour of coastal station monitoring, with the exception of Lake Macquarie which was at that time the focus of a major study.

This dataset contains data from pollution monitoring in Jervis Bay, NSW. The data were obtained from various sites around Jervis Bay at different times between October 1988 and July 1991. Samples for trace metals from sediments were determined, together with grain size. Mercury in the tissues of Red morwong (Cheilodactylus fuscus), Oysters (Ostrea angasi), Mussels (Trichomya hirsuta) and heavy metals in the leaves of Posidonia australis and Zostera sp. were determined. Organochlorides and hydrocarbons from sediments, water column and biota were also determined. Tributyl tin experiments were conducted in tanks. The data are part of the Jervis Bay Marine Ecological Study. NB - As the database has been lost, the only data still available are those published in the JERVIS BAY BASELINE STUDIES Final Report.

This dataset describes data from sediment samples collected from the Huon Estuary (Tasmania). Samples were collected over two days during May 1997. Data was collected from 41 sites, from the northern end of Egg Island in the upper estuary to the southern seaward end of the estuary near Huon Island. Most sites were a subset from the Huon Estuary Study spatial surveys (refer the separate metadata record for more information). Samples were analysed for organic compounds and algal cyst populations. This dataset forms part of the CSIRO Marine Research Huon Estuary study, conducted over the period 1996-1998.

The data were mainly collected in the Far Northern Section Cross-Shelf Closure of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Location approximately: 11-12 Degrees South Latitude, 143-144 Degrees East Longitude. The data consisted of: 1. Biological samples from prawn trawls, fish trawls, benthic dredge tows 2. Sediment samples 3. Seabird regurgitated pellets 4. Seabird counts 5. GPS Position data for trawls The study objectives were as follows: 1. A quantitative description of the physical environment, sediment characteristics, fishing effort, fish communities, epibenthic communities and prawn populations. 2. A comparison of the fish,benthic and prawn communities of areas closed to trawling with areas open to trawling. 3. An assessment of the impact of prawn trawling on benthic communities and fish communities. 4. A quantitative description of the composition of bycatch produced by prawn trawling in the Green Zone and the areas to the immediate north and south of the Zone. 5. A list of the species trawled animals other than prawns returned to the sea and whether they float or sink and quantification of the fate of the dead material. 6.Quantitative estimates of the importance of trawl discards in the diets of seabirds, the degree of dependence on such discards and the effects of discards on seabird populations.

Towed camera transects were conducted on the shelf of the Great Australian Bight (GAB) as part of the 'GAB Mapping Project' (FRDC Project No 2006/036). To further our understanding and knowledge of fishing grounds, terrain types and habitats in the GAB, this project proposed to include a camera survey, involving industry. A portable camera system developed by CSIRO during and for a previous fishing grounds mapping project in the SEF was available to be used from an industry vessel. This metadata record refers to the image data collected during the survey. The image annotations collected for this project will added to the Oracle data base BHIMAGE and the associated videos and still images have been archived as described in MarLIN record 14436 'Benthic Habitats Video Image Archive'.