Voyage Number
IN2024_V03
Voyage Dates
Voyage Location
Chief Scientist
Dr Richard Little
Institution
CSIRO
Voyage livestream
Watch our livestream from RV Investigator's 31-day research voyage off south-east Australia.
Voyage summary
Research voyage from Hobart to Sydney to conduct a repeat survey of the biodiversity and habitats of the marine waters of south-east Australia. Called the South-East Australian Marine Ecosystem Survey (SEA-MES), this is the second of four voyages in the project.
The marine waters of southeast Australia are one of a series of global ocean-warming hotspots. In this region, the ocean surface is warming at a rate four times the global average and many species have extended their distributions southward, with apparent changes in local abundance. Projections show that these changes will continue for the next century.
Fishery and ecosystem assessments were last conducted in this region 25 years ago. This voyage will repeat the surveys to document changes and establish a new biological and environmental baseline. The knowledge generated will be essential for better planning and managing current and emerging industries, and protecting important habitats and species throughout the region.
There is one other project on this voyage:
- Seabird detector (Carlie Devine, CSIRO): Pilot project to test an automatic seabird detector camera system.
The voyage has 33 science participants from 5 institutions including the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC), and 22 crew from MMA Offshore Ltd.
The CSIRO Indigenous Research Grants Program provided a grant to Dr Richard Little's team for 'Supporting Indigenous Scientists and Community in the South-East Australian Marine Ecosystem Survey'.
The South-East Australian Marine Ecosystem Survey team led by Dr Richard Little acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the seas in which we are conducting this research. The research area includes Tasmanian, Victorian, New South Wales and Commonwealth waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present, and thank them for their continued stewardship over the lands, seas and skies in which we live, work and rest.
COVID Protocols
To safeguard the health and well-being of participants, strict COVID protocols apply to all activities on this voyage. This includes PCR testing of all participants for COVID prior to boarding the vessel.
Voyage outcomes
Voyage outcomes will be published approximately 3-6 months after the completion of the voyage.