This 100-page full-colour report showcases research conducted by the Marine Biodiversity Hub, a collaborative partnership supported through funding from the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program (NESP).

Through its 10 research partners, the Hub established a network of research agencies, research-users and Indigenous communities to identify and priority needs and contribute to the national evidence-base required to support effective marine management.

The focus was on Australian Marine Parks (AMPs), sustainable resource use, threatened and migratory species and coastal habitat restoration. Research across these themes was underpinned by the development of nationally consistent approaches designed to strengthen Australia’s marine research coordination and capability.

Multi-agency surveys supported by the Hub established bathymetric and ecological baselines in tropical and temperate AMPs. They facilitated the development and application of national standards for data acquisition, sharing and visualisation, transforming the accessibility and utility of research findings for researchers and research-users.

For waters beyond AMPs, the Hub consolidated existing knowledge and developed mapping and predictive tools to better understand natural values, pressures and risks. Shallow-reef biodiversity state and trends, wastewater discharges, and the effects of ship noise and vessel strikes on large marine animals were explored at a national scale.

Hub research supported the recovery and conservation of threatened and migratory marine species including White Sharks, sea snakes, Southern Right Whales, inshore tropical dolphins and handfishes. A key product was The Action Plan for Australian Sharks and Rays 2021: a comprehensive and consistent review of the extinction risk of all Australian sharks, rays and chimaeras.

Research in coastal habitat restoration included evaluating restoration practices and economics, and supporting platforms for knowledge sharing among policy makers, practitioners and communities. Several of the Hub’s regional projects partnered with Indigenous communities to identify and advance Indigenous research interests and priorities. This engagement and knowledge sharing contributed to empowering Indigenous people in land and sea research and management.

Researchers at The University of Western Australia (UWA) are working with the Malgana Aboriginal Corporation and rangers to assist the natural recovery of seagrasses affected by an extreme marine heatwave at Shark Bay. The widespread loss of seagrass resulting from the 2010/2011 marine heatwave caused declines in many species, including those of cultural significance. These include green sea turtles  (buyungurra), dugong (wuthuga), shags (wanamalu) and bottlenose dolphins (irrabuga). Malgana Rangers and scientists have participated in four training workshops to develop and trial simple, cost-effective methods to assist the recovery of seagrass. The methods use adult plants, seeds and seedlings, depending on the species. Measuring the success of a restoration project takes time. However, seaweeds and algae are starting to grow on seagrass transplants, tropical seagrasses are colonising the surrounding bare sand, and fish and invertebrates are starting to use the new habitat.