The Spatial Variation of Acoustic Water Column Data and Its Relationship with Reef-Associated Fish Recorded by Baited Remote Underwater Stereo-Videos off the Western Australia Coast

Spatially explicit information on coral fish species abundance and distribution is required for effective management. Nonextractive techniques, including echosounders and video census, can be particularly useful in marine reserves where the use of extractive methods is restricted. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of combining echosounders and baited remote underwater stereo-videos (stereo-BRUVs) in providing more holistic information on the distribution of demersal and semidemersal reef-associated fish. The spatial distribution of fish biomass was assessed using both methods in two small areas, one in Cockburn Sound (CS), a temperate body of water, and the other in the tropical waters of the Ningaloo Marine Park (NMP). The results showed high correlations between the acoustic and stereo-BRUV data in CS, suggesting the potential use of both for a better estimation of biomass in the area. The results for the NMP showed weaker correlations between the two datasets and highlighted the high variability of the system. Further studies are required, but our initial findings suggest a potential benefit of combining both techniques in the reef-associated fish distribution assessment.

The effectiveness and efficiency of using normative messages to reduce waste: A real world experiment

Although they are only home to 16% of the global human population, high-income countries produce approximately one third of the world’s waste, the majority of which goes to landfills. To reduce pressure on landfills and natural systems, environmental messaging should focus on reducing consumption. Messages that signal social norms have the potential to influence people to reduce their consumption of comfort goods, such as straws, which are not a necessity for most people. We conducted a randomized field-experiment at a marine park in Portugal to test whether different normative messages reduced visitors’ paper straw use when compared to non-normative messages. We found that a message framed around a positive injunctive norm significantly reduced straw use compared to a non-normative message. We estimated that using the message at 17 park concession stands could keep over 27500 straws out of landfills annually and save the park money after two years.

The Negative Impacts of Chalets Operation on the Marine Park Environment

The popularity of marine tourism put intense pressure on the island's environment. Limited studies were conducted to determine the negative impacts caused by chalets operation. Study aim is to investigate the adverse effects caused by the chalet’s operation on the Tioman and Perhentian Island. The objectives are to identify operation activities and the negative impact caused by the operation. The study was conducted by adopting qualitative method. The findings indicate solid waste disposal, groundwater extraction, and sewage disposal are destroying the marine environment in many ways. Several recommendations were provided to reduce the negative impacts. Keywords: Chalet operation; Negative impacts; Island environment; Marine tourism eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i18.2953

Coral Communities on Marginal High-Latitude Reefs in West Australian Marine Parks

Many temperate reefs are experiencing a shift towards a greater abundance of tropical species in response to marine heatwaves and long-term ocean warming worldwide. Baseline data for coral communities growing in high-latitude reefs is required to better understand ecosystem changes over time. In this study, we explore spatial and temporal trends in the distribution of coral communities from 1999 to 2019 at 118 reef sites within the five marine parks located in the south-west of Western Australia (WA) between 30° to 35 °S. Our estimates of coral cover were generally low (< 5%), except for a few sites in Jurien Bay Marine Park and Rottnest Island Marine Reserve where coral cover was 10% to 30%. Interannual changes in genera assemblages were detected but were not consistent over time, whereas significant temporal increases in coral cover estimates were found at the lowest latitude site in Jurien Bay. Coral assemblages were primarily distinguished by Turbinaria spp. at Marmion Marine Park and Ngari Capes Marine Park, and Pocillopora spp. and Dipsastraea spp. at Rottnest Island and Jurien Bay. Our findings suggest that conditions in south-west WA are favorable to the ongoing survival of existing genera and there were minimal signs of expansion in coral cover at most study sites. Coral cover and composition on these reefs may, however, change with ongoing ocean warming and increased occurrence of marine heatwaves. This study provides a valuable benchmark for assessing future changes in coral assemblages and highlights the need for targeted hard-coral surveys to quantify subtle changes in high-latitude coral community assemblages.

Baited video, but not diver video, detects a greater contrast in the abundance of legal-size target species between no-take and fished zones

Inherent differences between baited remote video versus diver-operated video survey methodologies may influence their ability to detect effects of fishing. Here the ability of no-take zones (NTZs) to provide protection for legal-sized fish from targeted species within the Ningaloo Marine Park (NMP) was assessed using both baited remote underwater stereo-video (stereo-BRUV) and diver operated stereo-video (stereo-DOV). The relative abundance of legal-sized individuals of three recreationally targeted fish species, spangled emperor Lethrinus nebulosus, chinaman cod Epinephelus rivulatus and goldspotted trevally Carangoides fulvoguttatus, were examined using both methodologies inside and outside six NTZs across the NMP. Stereo-BRUVs found positive effects of protection on the relative abundance of legal-size C. fulvoguttatus and L. nebulosus in NTZs. Stereo-DOVs, however, did not detect any differences in relative abundances and sizes of these species between areas opened and closed to fishing. These contrasting results suggest that choice of sampling methodology can influence interpretations of the ability of NTZs to provide adequate levels of protection for target species. Thus it is suggested to further investigate the ability of stereo-BRUVs and stereo-DOVs to observe differences in the abundance of targeted species inside and outside of NTZs for the long-term monitoring of the NMP.

AN INVESTIGATION OF TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN MARINE PARK, SABAH'S ATTRACTIONS AND TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TLTAR) is a marine park established under the Establishment of Marine Parks Malaysia Order 1994 of the Department of Fisheries to conserve marine resources and develop tourism. It consists of five islands, namely Manukan Island, Mamutik Island, Sapi Island, Sulug Island, and a portion of Gaya Island. The marine park has an area of 4,929 hectares, of which two-thirds are submerged. The purpose of the study is to investigate the characteristics of tourist attractions and tourism infrastructure in TLTAR, Sabah. The study involved 249 respondents, including locals who have visited TLTAR. The majority of respondents (71.5%) were male, 75.5% were under 30 years old, 68.7% were single, and over 50% had secondary education. The results of this study revealed that there were three main attractions that attracted visitors to TLTAR, which included the beauty of the beach and water surrounding it, the peaceful island environment, and recreational activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, and picnicking. The island environment, particularly its beach, and the safety of the island, particularly perceived threats from certain parties and crimes, are also a few factors that need to be addressed in order for visitors to continue visiting TLTAR. In terms of the level of tourism infrastructures, the findings indicate that the recreational facilities, boat services, and jetty provided are better than those offered by others in Malaysia. The findings of the study are important for policymakers and marine park development planners in ensuring more sustainable tourism management and creating enjoyable and satisfaction for all visitors.

Seagrass habitat suitability model for Redang Marine Park using multibeam echosounder data: Testing different spatial resolutions and analysis window sizes

Integrating Multibeam Echosounder (MBES) data (bathymetry and backscatter) and underwater video technology allows scientists to study marine habitats. However, use of such data in modeling suitable seagrass habitats in Malaysian coastal waters is still limited. This study tested multiple spatial resolutions (1 and 50 m) and analysis window sizes (3 × 3, 9 × 9, and 21 × 21 cells) probably suitable for seagrass-habitat relationships in Redang Marine Park, Terengganu, Malaysia. A maximum entropy algorithm was applied, using 12 bathymetric and backscatter predictors to develop a total of 6 seagrass habitat suitability models. The results indicated that both fine and coarse spatial resolution datasets could produce models with high accuracy (>90%). However, the models derived from the coarser resolution dataset displayed inconsistent habitat suitability maps for different analysis window sizes. In contrast, habitat models derived from the fine resolution dataset exhibited similar habitat distribution patterns for three different analysis window sizes. Bathymetry was found to be the most influential predictor in all the models. The backscatter predictors, such as angular range analysis inversion parameters (characterization and grain size), gray-level co-occurrence texture predictors, and backscatter intensity levels, were more important for coarse resolution models. Areas of highest habitat suitability for seagrass were predicted to be in shallower (<20 m) waters and scattered between fringing reefs (east to south). Some fragmented, highly suitable habitats were also identified in the shallower (<20 m) areas in the northwest of the prediction models and scattered between fringing reefs. This study highlighted the importance of investigating the suitable spatial resolution and analysis window size of predictors from MBES for modeling suitable seagrass habitats. The findings provide important insight on the use of remote acoustic sonar data to study and map seagrass distribution in Malaysia coastal water.

Seagrass Condition at Some Small Islands in The Taka Bonerate National Marine Park, South Sulawesi Indonesia

The assessment of seagrass bed condition in Indonesia still refers to the Decree of the State Minister for the Environment (KMNLH) no. 200 of 2004, which considers only one variable, namely the percentage of seagrass cover. To assess the seagrass beds condition to be more in-depth and meaningful, it is necessary to consider the addition of several variables, such as the biotic variables (seagrass species diversity including macroalgae and macro-benthos components) as well as the abiotic variables (reef flat areas and the substrate components). The purpose of this study is to determine the seagrass beds condition in several small islands in the Taka Bonerate National Marine Park by considering the additional analysis using both biotic and abiotic variables as mentioned above. The methodology used in this study is a combination of the use of the standard seagrass transect method, interpretation of satellite imagery related to the seagrass bottom habitat area, and its components on the reef flat of a particular island, as well as weighting and scoring based on those considered additional variables. By applying the criteria in the method, the seagrass bed conditions were then classified into three categories, namely seagrass in good, moderate, and unfavorable conditions, respectively. The results of the total score assessment on several small islands in Taka Bonerate Islands show that the seagrass bed in Latondu Besar Island is in good conditions with the highest score of (316) compared to Tarupa Besar, Jinato, Rajuni Kecil, and Tinabo Besar Islands with an average score of (173). The results of this study indicate that the assessment of seagrass conditions is more meaningful in terms of seagrass ecology than based on seagrass cover alone. However, this study requires a lot of validation for its application in assessing the condition of seagrass beds in other islands in Indonesia.

Biological Sound Sources Drive Soundscape Characteristics of Two Australian Marine Parks

Soundscapes represent an intrinsic aspect of a habitat which, particularly in protected areas, should be monitored and managed to mitigate human impacts. Soundscape ecology characterizes acoustic interactions within an environment, integrating biological, anthropogenic, climatological, and geological sound sources. Monitoring soundscapes in marine protected areas is particularly important due to the reliance of many marine species on sound for biological functions, including communication and reproduction. In this study we establish a baseline understanding of underwater soundscapes within two marine National Park Zones (NPZs) along the east coast of Australia: Cod Grounds Marine Park and an NPZ surrounding Pimpernel Rock within Solitary Islands Marine Park. In each of the NPZs, underwater recorders were deployed twice during the austral winter (33–35 days, 2018 and 60–69 days, 2019) and once during the austral summer (35–71 days, 2018–2019). We used the resulting acoustic recordings to determine hourly presence of anthropogenic and biological sounds between 20 Hz and 24 kHz and analyze their contributions to patterns of received sound levels. Sounds from vessels were recorded on most days throughout monitoring but were not found to influence long-term patterns of sound levels over their corresponding frequencies. Biological sources included dolphins, snapping shrimp, fish choruses, humpback whales, and dwarf minke whales. Dolphins, snapping shrimp, and fish choruses were present in all deployments. Median ambient sound levels showed a consistent diel pattern with increased levels resulting from crepuscular fish choruses combined with a higher intensity of snapping shrimp snaps during those times. Singing humpback whales strongly influenced the overall sound levels throughout the winter migration, while dwarf minke whales were consistently detected in the 2019 winter deployment but were only present in 2 h among the earlier deployments. Patterns of acoustic spectra were similar between the two NPZs, and patterns of soundscape measurements were observed to be driven by seasonal differences in biological contributions rather than anthropogenic sound sources, indicating that these NPZs are not yet heavily impacted by anthropogenic noise. These baseline measurements will prove invaluable in long-term monitoring of the biological health of NPZs.