Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board’s annual progress towards targets in the region’s 20-year natural resources management plan

Regional report 2013Coast and marine

Regional target T11 & T12

Halt the decline of seagrass, reef, and other coast, estuarine and marine habitats and a trend toward restoration

Our marine and coastal environment• supportsourmarinespecies,manyofwhichareunique to Southern Australia• preventscoastalerosionandprotectsusagainst damage from floods and storms• supportsregionaltourism,commercialandrecreational fishing,aquacultureandshipping

Key regional issues include:• lossanddegradationofhabitat• land-basedsourcesofpollution• invasionofpestspecies

ActivitiesTheboard’sregionalNRMplanhastargetstoprotectcoast,estuarineandmarineenvironments.

Achievingthosetargetsisacollectiveeffortofstateandlocalgovernments,industriesandthecommunity.

AllprogramsreportedherearefundedfromtheNRMlevy.

MARINE LITTERBeachlitterisaglobalproblemthataffectsourcoastandmarineenvironmentsandanimalsincludingdolphins,fishandseabirds.

With help from the Commonwealth GovernmentCaringforourCountrygrantscheme,theboard,governmentagencies,localcouncilsandthecommunityhavebeenmonitoringmarinelitteronourlocalbeachesforthepasttwoyears.

Monitoring marine pollution

Number of litter items and weight (kg) collected across different regions between 2010- 11 and 2012- 13

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Wei

ght (

kg)

Metrop

olitan

Fleuri

eu Pe

ninsul

a

Kang

aroo I

sland

Lower

Yorke

Penin

sula

West G

ulf St

Vinc

ent

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

Num

ber o

f ite

ms

Items

2010 - 11

Weight

Items

2012 - 13

Weight

1%

69%

7%

8%

11%

3%

Plastic fragments and glass

Plastic containers

Fishing and boating

Packaging (bags)

General housing

Cigarettes

Building products

Type and number of litter items

2%1%

84%

8%

Number of items combined 2010- 11 and 2012- 13

Plastic

Glass and ceramic

Foam products

Metal

Paper and cardboard

Rubber

Material and clothing

Wood

The aim is to identify the key sources and potential impacts to local ecosystems and wildlife.

In the City of Onkaparinga, approximately 11.7 km of fishing line, 1430 hooks and 238 sinkers (2.9 kg) have been recovered and recycled.

Community engagement

Over40communitygroups,SurfLifeSavingSA,theNurseryandGardenIndustrySAand

otherpartnershavebeeninvolvedwiththeboardinvariousprojects andinitiatives.In2012-13,eventsand workshops coveredtopicssuchascoastalambassador

training,coastalactionplanning,ReefWatch,

HoodedPloverawarenessevents,DolphinDay,coastalgardenworkshops,marinedebrismonitoringandmore.

There are now nine coastal gardens demonstration sites located at surf life

savingandsailingclubsacrosstheregion. SurfLifeSavingSAand the Nursery and GardenIndustrySApartnered with the boardtomakethis asuccessfulprogram.

Theboardprovidesmanyopportunitiestoinvolvethecommunityinawareness-raising

eventsandworkshopstobuildlocalknowledge

of coastal and marine environments.The Coastal AmbassadorsTraining Program

saw 20 participants trainedinbasiccoast

andmarinestudies.Theseambassadorshavetakenthis

knowledgeandhavesincegoneontovolunteerwithlocalcommunitygroups.

BUILDING COMMUNITY SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY TO MANAGE COAST, ESTUARINE AND MARINE ENVIRONMENTS

HOOK, LINE AND THINKER

Theboard,incollaborationwiththecitiesofOnkaparingaandVictorHarborestablishedtheHook,LineandThinkerFishingDebrisRecyclingProgram in2012-13.

Theprojectenablesanglerstodisposeofand recycle unwanted fishing litter such as monofilamentfishingline,hooksandsinkersbeforeitendsupinmetropolitanwaterswhereitcancausedamagetoourmarine,estuarineandcoastalenvironmentsandwildlife.

Number of fishing items found

Hooks

Fishing line (monofilament)

Swivels

Fish attracters

Sinkers

Fishing line (braided)

Lures

Bait

Other

46%

21%

9%

8%

8%4%

1% 2%

205 Greenhill Road

EASTWOOD SA 5063

Phone: (08) 8273 9100

Fax: (08) 8271 9585

E-mail:DEWNR.AMLR@sa.gov.au

www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges

Photography

HarlequinWrasse Simon Bryars

BlueDevil Simon Bryars

Seagrass Simon Bryars

Reefhabitat Simon Bryars

Snorkelers Natural Resources AMLR

Hook,LineandThinker Natural Resources AMLR

Marinedebris Jamie Hicks

Acknowledgements

The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board would liketothankthefollowingindividualsandorganisationsfortheirinvolvementinthecoastandmarineprograms.Theseinclude:BirdLifeAustralia,NatureConservationSocietyofSouthAustralia,ConservationCouncilofSouthAustralia,ReefWatch,DepartmentofEnvironment,WaterandNaturalResources,EnvironmentProtectionAuthority,CityofPortAdelaideEnfield,CityofCharlesSturt,DistrictCouncilofMallala,CityofVictorHarbor,CityofOnkaparinga,DistrictCouncilofYorkePeninsula,NaturalResourcesNorthernandYorke,NaturalResourcesKangarooIsland,UniversityofAdelaide,FlindersUniversity,SouthAustralianResearchandDevelopmentInstitute,BiosecuritySouthAustralia,SimonBryars,andallstaffandcommunityvolunteers.

HoodedPlovers Michele Sawyer

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Dan Weller, BirdLife Australia

Canoes Ben Grant on behalf of Natural Resources AMLR

Bushland condition monitoring Nature Conservation Society of South Australia

Samphire Natural Resources AMLR

For further information on the condition of South Australia’s coastal and marine environments visit:

www.NRconnect.sa.gov.au Click on NRM reporting

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Printedoncarbonneutralcertifiedpapersourcedfromresponsiblymanagedforests. Maine Recycled Silk – 60% certified post consumer waste recycled 40%certifiedvirginfibre

Protecting marine and coastal wildlife

TheHoodedPlover(Thinornis rubricollis is a smallbeach-nestingbirdthatbreedsinlow

numbersontheFleurieuPeninsula. TheHoodedPloverMonitoringand

Management Program is an effectivecollaborationinvolvingtheboard,BirdLifeAustralia,governmentagencies,councils,volunteersandthecommunity.Theaimistoimprove

thebreedingsuccessofthis protected species in

South Australia and increase awareness in thecommunity.In2012-13,theboardundertook486surveystodeterminethebreedinglocationsandsuccessof HoodedPlovers.

Program results indicate the number of breeding sites has increased and chick hatching success increased by 2.7%. Chick fledgling and survival rates have remained steady compared to previous years.

IMPROVING THE BREEDING SUCCESS OF THE ENDANGERED HOODED PLOVER

Number of chicks hatched

Chick survival

Number of chicks hatched and chick survival (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Chick

s ha

tche

d

32

34

36

Chick

sur

viva

l (%

)38

40

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13

Number of Hooded Plover surveys

0

100

200

300

400

500

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-130

10

20

30

40

Number of Hooded Plover nests and breeding pairs

Breeding sites

Breeding pairs

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13

Cumulative and total number of Blue Devils on Adelaide’s reefs

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Num

ber o

f blu

e de

vils

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Number of surveys 2010- 13

ADDRESSING DECLINES IN LITTLE PENGUIN COLONIES TheAMLRandKangarooIslandNRMboardsaredevelopingcollaborativeapproachestoaddressdeclinesinselectedLittlePenguincolonies inGulfStVincent.

Bar-tailed Godwit Black-tailed Godwit Common Greenshank Common Sandpiper Curlew Sandpiper Eastern Curlew Great Knot Greater Sand Plover Grey Plover Grey-tailed Tattler

Lesser Sand Plover Marsh Sandpiper Pacific Golden Plover Red Knot Red-necked Stint Ruddy Turnstone Ruff Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Whimbrel

Migratory shorebirds Resident shorebirds

Banded Lapwing Black-fronted Dotterel Black-winged Stilt Masked Lapwing Pied Oystercatcher Red-capped Plover Red-kneed Dotterel Red-necked Avocet Sooty Oystercatcher Banded Stilt

Resident shorebird counts 2012/13

Autumn 2013 Summer 2013 Winter 2012 Summer 2012

Num

ber o

f sho

rebi

rds

obse

rved

0

100

200

300

400

500

600 1449

1394

632

1277

6

1150

5

2466

7

Eachyearthousandsofmigratoryseabirdsflyfrombreedinggroundsinthenorthernhemisphere to feed and shelter with resident seabirdsalongourshores.Theboard,

workingwithBirdLifeAustralia, localcouncils,landholders

and the community has implementedshorebird

monitoring in AMLR since 2007-08 to address key actions outlined in the national Wildlife ConservationPlanfor

MigratoryShorebirds.

WORKING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND PROTECT SHOREBIRD HABITAT

Migratory shorebird counts 2012-13

Winter 2012

Num

ber o

f sho

rebi

rds

obse

rved

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Summer 2013 Autumn 2013Summer 2012

2507

4210

1983

824

1103

4100

2055

The plan aims to better understand and protect these important local shorebird and habitats across our region. In 2012-13, 19 migratory species, and 10 resident species were observed across the AMLR region.

Northern OuterMilkies ReefMacs GroundSeacliff Reef

In 2012-13, on-ground works occurred at 59 sites along the northern, metropolitan and southern coast.

ON-GROUND WORKS TO RESTORE NATURAL RESOURCE CONDITION

Theboardcontinuestoimplementon-ground priorities identified in the SouthernFleurieu,MetropolitanandNorthernAdelaidecoastalactionplans.Complementing the actions of council partnersandcommunitygroups,theboard’sworkssupportrevegetationprogramstoimprovetheresilienceofremnantnativevegetation,toincreaselocaldiversityafterprioritypestplantandanimalcontrol,andtomaintainandestablishnewfencingtoreduce the impacts of erosion and damage tolocalenvironments.

Native plant revegetation

Fencing to reduce coastal erosion

Fencing to protect areas of conservation

Pest plant (weeds) control

Invasive pest animal control

Coastal managed land (hectares)

2%1%

83%

7%

7%

Reefsandseagrassesprovideimportanthabitatandfoodsourcesforawiderangeofmarinespecies.Rockyreefshelpinthestabilityoflocalcoastalenvironments.Similarly,seagrassmeadowsareimportantforseabedstability,withtheirrootstrappingsedimentsandreducingcoastalerosion.Seagrassesalsoprovideimportantnutrientcyclingandcarbonstoring.Ourreefand seagrasscommunitiesarevaluable ecologicalassetsforGulfStVincent.

Overthelast60years,somereefshavebecomedegradedandextensiveareasofseagrasshavebeenlost.Keythreatsincludedecliningwaterqualityfromtheinputofnutrients,pollutants,sedimentfromstormwater,agriculturalrunoffandtreatedwastewater.

Informationonreefconditionhasbeencollectedoveranumberofyearsand thedatahasrecentlybeenreviewed.Theconditionofourreefs(map)variesbetweensites,theratingsarebasedonsurveydatacollected up until 2010 and more recently between2012-13(8sites).

Managing marine habitats

Managing and protecting coastal habitats and estuaries

SUB TIDAL REEFS AND SEAGRASS

Theboard,togetherwiththeNatureConservationSocietyofSouthAustralia isworkingtoprovidebaselineinformationontheconditionofourcoastalvegetationusing ecological indicators that include nativediversity,plantrecruitmentandvegetationstructure.

The assessment of these sites and their conditionarebasedonacomparisontoundisturbedbenchmarkvegetationcommunities.Theirscoreratingcomes from multiple indicators ranging from goodtopoor.

COASTAL BUSHLAND MONITORING

Number of sites

Broad vegetation groups

Coastal cliff and dune Grassland,shrublands, low woodlands

Coastal samphire Tidalshrublands,bluebush,saltbush,swamppaperbark

Coastal fringing Woodlands,heathand swamps

52

10

4

The Coastal Bushland Condition Monitoring Program continues to survey 66 coastal sites across the AMLR region.

The board is working with the community and industry partners to continue monitoring the health of these important habitats and investigating ways to improve water quality before it enters the Gulf.

ASSESSING MARINE SPECIESTheboard,togetherwithDepartmentofEnvironment,Water,and NaturalResources,ismonitoringAdelaide’sreefsto determine the population condition of potentially

threatenedHarlequinWrasseandBlueDevilFish.Monitoring from 2010-13 included important Adelaidereefs:Aldinga,Seacliff,MacsGround,MilkiesandNorthernOuter.PhotosdevelopedfromfishmonitoringindicateBlueDevilsandHarlequinWrasseareimportantlong-termresidentsofourreefs.

COASTAL BUSHLAND MONITORING

GOOD

MODERATE

POOR

SUB TIDAL REEFS MONITORING

GOOD

MODERATE

POOR

SEAGRASS MONITORING

GOOD

MODERATE

POOR

ON-GROUND WORK SITES

2013 Achievements

59 Northern Metro Southern Area Area Area

11 20 28

Includes4estuaries

SUMMARY OF PROGRESS

20 YEAR REGIONAL TARGET

AHEAD OF TARGET

ON TARGET

BEHIND TARGET

NO PROGRESS IN LAST 12 MONTHS

ADELAIDE

VICTOR HARBOR

GULFSTVINCENT

Coastal gardens sites

Other on-ground works

Marinedebrissites

Coastalbushlandcondition sites

AMLRNRM Board boundary

ON-GROUND WORKS

nutrients

sedim

ents

pollution

Marine species Hook, Line and Thinker Program

Coastal wildlifeCoastal managed land Litter and pollution Sub tidal reefs

Seagrass

Coast and marine Regional report 2013