Pitcher et al., 2008:

Methods used 

"The six tracks that were each trawled 13 times during the depletion experiment in December 1995 were re-surveyed by the ROV and video Sled (Oct-Nov 1996, Oct-Nov 1997 and Jan-Feb 2001). At the same time, six un-trawled tracks were also re-surveyed in six of the BACI control plots."

Impact and recovery rates

"In this section, results for attributes measured and analysed are described by species, grouped into approximate categories of high, medium and low rates of impact and recovery (acknowledging substantial uncertainty in these catgories and some conflicting indications from Sled and ROV data or different models fitted) — and then in order of abundance, as tabulated below (Table 3-6). Figures of the results are presented with the text for several of the more abundant species."

 

Recovery time frames

"From the Sled data, the taxa estimated to have recovered included: Solenocaulon sp (~0 yr to recover), Scleractinia (~0 yr), Echinogorgia sp (~0 yr), Hypodistoma deeratum (~1 yr), Sarcophyton sp (~2 yr), Ctenocella pectinata (~4 yr), Junceella juncea (~4 yr), Dichotella divergens (~4 yr), Nephtheidae (~4 yr), Alcyonacea (~4 yr), Annella reticulata (~4 yr), Porifera (~5 yr), and Xestospongia testudinaria (~5 yr). The taxa estimated to have not recovered included: Ianthella flabelliformis (~6 yr), Turbinaria frondens (~7 yr), Cymbastela coralliophila (~66 yr), and no recovery was observed for Junceella fragilis."

"From the ROV data, the taxa estimated to have recovered included: Alcyonacea (~0 yr), Solenocaulon sp. (~1 yr), Dichotella divergens (~3 yr), Porifera (~5 yr), and Annella reticulata (~5 yr). The taxa estimated to have not recovered included: Ellisella sp. (~7 yr), Junceella juncea (~8 yr), Nephtheidae (~8 yr), Ianthella basta (~8 yr), Ianthella flabelliformis (~9 yr), Ascideacea (~10 yr), Subergorgia sp. (~11 yr), Bebryce sp. (~11 yr), Semperina brunea (~12 yr), Ctenocella pectinata (~15 yr), Xestospongia testudinaria (~16 yr), Echinogorgia sp. (~18 yr), Turbinaria frondens (~19 yr), Scleractinia (~59 yr), and no recovery was observed for Junceella fragilis, Subergorgia suberosa, Cymbastela coralliophila. The ROV timeframes estimated for Sarcophyton sp. (~158 yr) and Hypodistoma deeratum (~255 yr) are probably unreliable, as discussed in section 4.1.1, and the Sled estimates should be considered more realistic."

Faunal vulnerability to trawling

High vulnerability:

• Cymbastela coralliophila (Sponge)
• Scleractinia (Hard Corals)
• Turbinaria frondens (Hard Coral)
• Junceella fragilis (Gorgonian)

Moderate vulnerability:

• Semperina brunea (Gorgonian)
• Xestospongia testudinaria (Sponge)
• Subergorgia suberosa (Gorgonian)
• Subergorgia sp. (Gorgonian)
• Bebryce sp. (Gorgonian)
• Ianthella flabelliformis (Sponge)
• Ctenocella pectinata (Gorgonian)
• Echinogorgia sp. (Gorgonian)
• Ellisella sp. (Gorgonian)

Low-moderate vulnerability:

• Junceella juncea (Gorgonian)
• Porifera (Sponges)
• Annella reticulata (Gorgonian)
• Dichotella divergens (Gorgonian)
• Nephtheidae (Soft Corals)

Low vulnerability:

• Alcyonacea (Soft Corals)
• Sarcophyton sp. (Soft Corals)
• Hypodistoma deeratum (Solitary ascidian)
• Solenocaulon sp. (Gorgonian)"

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Citation and/or URL

Pitcher, C.R., Austin, M., Burridge, C.Y., Bustamante, R.H., Cheers, S.J., Ellis, N., Jones, P.N., Koutsoukos, A.G., Moeseneder, C.H., Smith, G.P., Venables, W. & Wassenberg, T.J. 2008, Recovery of seabed habitat from the impact of trawling in the far northern section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: CSIRO final report to GBRMPA, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Cleveland, Australia

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Spatial Coverage

 Far north

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Temporal Coverage

1995-2001 and modelled future recoveries

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Update Frequency

Project finished 

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Other Information

None