Western Port Bryozoan Reefs Research Project – Report 5: bioacoustic survey of fish biomass

Summary

A unique bryozoan reef biotope has been formally described in Western Port, Victoria, Australia for the first time. The Western Port Bryozoan Reefs Research Project is a multidisciplinary project funded by AGL, The Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority, La Trobe University and Fathom Pacific Pty Ltd. The project is investigating various abiotic and biological aspects of the reefs.

This report outlines the use of bioacoustics as a cost-effective method of estimating fish biomass and other features of the fish population on whole-of-biotope spatial scales. The results of this study indicate that the fish biomass is higher in the bryozoan reef biotope than in neighbouring bare sediment-Caulerpa cactoides beds.