Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve Monitoring
Since 2006 we have been undertaking lobster and benthic monitoring within Hahei Marine reserve and adjacent non-reserve control locations.
INFO:
Location: Hahei, Coromandel, New Zealand
Client: Department of Conservation (DOC)
Project Date: 2006-Present
SCOPE OF WORK:
- Data collection - lobster, reef fish, benthic communities
- Data analysis - univariate and multivariate
- Reserve-Non-reserve comparisons, assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem health
- Assist with research on Marine ecosystem and marine reserve functioning
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Since 2006 we have been undertaking lobster and benthic monitoring (macro-algae, sessile and mobile invertebrates) within Te Whanganui-a-Hei (Hahei) Marine reserve and adjacent non-reserve control locations. More recently, we have been measuring reef fish community abundance and diversity including single-species (snapper, blue cod) abundances using baited under water video. Data collected allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the reserve, assess ecosystem health and identify threats to the reserve biota over which DOC can exert some management control.
