Boat-based observations spanning 11 years were used to determine the swimming speed for resting whales in two bays off eastern Australia. Swimming speeds observed in both bays during southward migration were slower than those specified in literature. The effect of location on swimming speed was small, but the swimming speeds of pods with calves and pods without calves present were different in one bay. The importance of management of nearshore environments for effective protection of humpback whales, and the role of swim speeds for assessing humpback whale habitat use are highlighted.

Rigorous monitoring and reporting helps determine the effectiveness of water reforms. The Murray–Darling Basin Plan is a major public policy reform intended to restore water to the environment. We present an independent assessment of the state of the Basin. For 27 indicators, we found that those for the environment were not met and the major benefits were economic, favouring irrigators.

Oceans and marine turtles are facing many challenges. Collaboration and partnership between Traditional Custodians and conservation programs empower Aboriginal young people as future conservation leaders and are important to achieve long-term conservation goals. Three case studies explore the importance of partnerships in conservation, providing additional on-Country opportunities for young people, and enabling future pathways in the Pilbara, Western Australia.

This article belongs to the collection: Science in Sea Country.

Asian sea bass, or barramundi, is a widespread fish widely propagated and highly sought after for food and recreation. We found that the Asian sea bass and barramundi lineage contains three main genetic lineages with numerous subdivisions, and that these divisions are linked to adaptive changes and may be considered evolutionarily significant. These findings indicate diversity within Asian sea bass and barramundi that may be useful for both conservation and exploitation.