We are currently looking for a PhD candidate to support development of offshore renewable energy and other activities in the Blue Economy through environmental characterisation.
The primary focus of this role is method development for incorporating hydroacoustic (echosounder) datasets into marine spatial planning. This project includes data analysis, mathematical modelling, and ecological application of analytical results.
The aim of this study is to develop methods that harness the power of hydroacoustic instruments (echosounders) to provide better ecological information for use in marine spatial planning (MSP). Marine renewable energy and offshore aquaculture are rapidly growing sectors of the blue economy with important roles to play in increasing seafood production and energy security, as well as combatting climate change. However, there is still a high degree of uncertainty and concern about the effects of these new activities on the environment, all aspects of which are already under pressure from anthropogenic activities (e.g. fishing, shipping, pollution, climate change). Careful planning and effective monitoring strategies are needed to ensure the blue economy is developed sustainably in Australia and globally, without adverse impacts on the marine environment. MSP is an integrated framework that can support the ongoing functioning of the marine environment alongside blue economy development and other human activities. MSP identifies which areas of the ocean are appropriate for different activities, relying on geospatial data layers that span human uses as well as areas of ecological importance. By bringing together multiple streams of information, MSP can facilitate adaptive, ecosystem-based management of anthropogenic activities, which is critical for delivery of environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The dynamic nature of marine ecosystems in space and time has been highlighted as a challenge for integration of ecological layers (such as essential habitat for fish species) into MSP.
An additional challenge is the general lack of data for generating useable information in most marine areas. There is an ongoing need to establish which physical and biological parameters need to be measured in order to identify appropriate uses and activities for an area, and to monitor ecosystem function over time. Research is also needed to determine the necessary resolution and scale of ecological measurements, the tools for acquiring them, and methods for translating them into information layers suitable for MSP.
This project will:
(i) review the literature, drawing especially on the European and North American experiences, to identify key ecosystem properties that might be impacted by different classes of blue economy activity, and to identify the gaps in existing data collection protocols;
(ii) identify metrics of impact and/or condition that can be routinely measured by hydroacoustic techniques and specifically those that might plug identified gaps;
(iii) apply the findings of (ii) to case study(ies) area(s) where developments are occurring, for example the BEZ;
(iv) make recommendations for more cost-effective monitoring of Blue Economy developments using hydroacoustics.
