Research The SRFME Structure and Framework STRUCTURE SRFME’s research portfolio is structured around a Collaborative Linkages Program and Core Projects Program, which each have three projects or schemes. FRAMEWORK Research carried out through funding from SRFME has been focussed within a framework of priorities developed by the CSIRO together with Western Australian government researchers, marine resource managers and academics. This framework was developed over a two-year period during the planning period leading up to the beginning of SRFME. The SRFME Framework consisted of two components; a framework of priority research outcome areas and a framework of relative emphases. The five areas in the framework of priority research 1. Broad scale oceanography – where the aim is to develop enhanced understanding of Indian Ocean oceanographic processes, which may lead to benefits in greater understanding of: fisheries recruitment processes climate variability and rainfall prediction slope and deep ocean currents regional interconnectedness continental shelf circulation characteristics 2. Continental shelf and coastal processes – these studies should lead to an improved understanding of the marine ecosystem providing a number of benefits in relation to: sustainable management of areas of high productivity regional interconnectedness with relevance to MPAs fisheries recruitment processes catchment-related impacts cumulative impacts of human activity 3. Living marine resource inventories – this priority area acknowledges the importance of biodiversity studies and will provide increased information about: broad scale benthic habitats and marine flora and fauna distributions surrogates for measuring biodiversity which can lead to benefits in: managing impacts in multiple use environments site selection for aquaculture or industry development fine scale mapping of areas of specific interest; and to, assist with identification of marine protected areas 4. Baseline monitoring and defining natural variability of ecosystem function and change over time – will be important in order to: develop or identify appropriate natural variability parameters/ indicators which are representative of key values or processes design and implementation of cost-effective systems to monitor these parameters in areas representative of undisturbed ecosystems and bioregions in the state 5. Planning tools for Ecologically Sustainable Development – improved decision-making for agencies will be facilitated by the planned strategic research which will form the basis for the development of user-friendly and reliable management and decision-making tools. Research carried out through funding from SRFME will be done within a framework of priorities developed by the Western Australian government researchers and marine resource managers and academics. This framework was developed over a two-year period during the planning period leading up to SRFME becoming a reality. The framework of relative emphases A relative emphasis between the five priority research outcome areas favouring Biological Inventory/Baselines (50-70%), Continental Shelf and Coastal Processes (10-30%), Broadscale Oceanography (5-15%) and management Tools (5-15%) A geographic emphasis favouring the south coast through to the Gascoyne for Biological Inventory, Baselines and research on Continental Shelf and Coastal Processes A relative emphasis extending seaward from the coastline that favoured about 50% of the effort in coastal waters less than 50 m deep, 30% on the continental shelf and 20% offshore A relative emphasis along “measurement-understanding–prediction” continuum which favoured a predictive focus on projects with a primarily physical focus and an emphasis favouring measurement or new observations for primarily biological projects. Understanding physical and biological processes was given equal emphasis. A relative emphasis favouring physical studies on pelagic ecosystems and biological studies on benthic ecosystems. It is within this framework that the SRFME research portfolio was developed. More detail on how the priorities for research were developed can be found in the SRFME Research Portfolio Report [PDF document].

 

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research | Department of Premier and Cabinet| Department of Conservation & Land Management | Department of Fisheries WA| Department of Environment | Department of Industry & Resources SRFME is a joint venture between the Western Australian State Government and CSIRO