We describe an engagement model developed with spearfishers while accessing and examining extensive historic data. The collaboration improved engagement between scientists and fishers, and recognition of spearfisher data and experience, and the results demonstrated change consistent with recent global warming impacts. Our model has: stakeholders and researchers as partners; clearly defined data-use and ownership; and focuses on stakeholder concerns and experience.

Spatial stock complexity has recently garnered attention in marine stock assessments, given that fish are non-randomly distributed across the aquatic landscape. We used age-structured population models to evaluate population response to angling between two sub-stocks. These results provide evidence of spatial structuring in reservoir fish populations, and we recommend that model assessments should consider spatial differences to guide management decisions.

The long pelagic larval stage, phyllosoma, in southern rock lobster has important ramifications for recruitment between fisheries’ management regions, but its duration has remained unresolved because they cannot be directly aged. Using a regression model, based on the date of capture of 676 phyllosoma, we estimated larval duration to be 18.2 ± 1.6 months. This result will improve modelling of larval transport and recruitment processes for this commercially important species.

A transplant experiment was conducted in 2012 moving mussels from high-plankton, low-inorganic waters (Milford Harbor, CT) to high-inorganic, low-plankton waters (Hunts Point, Bronx, NY). Mussels from Milford adapted to the new, poorer-quality seston within 6 days of submersion, which indicates that phenotypic plasticity in the species is sufficient to account for adaptability of the ribbed mussel to Hunts Point conditions.

We analysed Landsat imagery to assess the ecological risk posed by groundwater pumping to native vegetation on the Tomago Sandbeds, a coastal sand mass in northern New South Wales. The effect of extraction on each major vegetation community was assessed by comparing rates of evapotranspiration between extraction zones and matched areas outside the influence of extraction. We found a significant long-term change in evapotranspiration close to groundwater extraction points within most forest, woodland and scrub communities, including those not currently regarded as being wholly dependent on groundwater.

Small, geographically proximate rivers spanning across a gradient of forest-to-pasture conversion formed a continuum of distinctive or partially overlapping groups in a multidimensional space based on organic carbon reservoirs, under base-flow conditions. Our results suggest that (1) within-catchment controls of total organic carbon (TOC) concentration might be maintained despite some level of catchment impairment and (2) between-river differences in TOC concentration at local scales can be as large as continental-scale differences.

Trachinotus botla is an important recreational fish species in South Africa and Australia that displays life history characteristics that are able to sustain high levels of exploitation. These include fast growth with a short life span, a high natural mortality rate, high fecundity, serial spawning and a diverse diet. Understanding the biology and life history characteristics of a species is crucial for the successful management of the fishery.

Population structure was compared between a widespread freshwater prawn species, Macrobrachium australiense, and a narrow-range endemic freshwater prawn, M. koombooloomba. The distribution of M. australiense and M. koombooloomba did not overlap. A fragment of the mtDNA CO1 gene was analysed and a Mantel test revealed a significant isolation by distance effect for both species. The fact that both species show limited dispersal highlights the importance of conservation in highland areas for both endemic and widespread species.

The genetic structure of pelagic sharks is largely unknown. Here, we conducted population genetic analyses of the pelagic blue shark in the Indo-Pacific region, which indicated a lack of genetic structure and a historical population growth of this species. These results imply a minor effect of historical climate fluctuation on the genetic structuring of pelagic sharks like the blue shark.

Many practices used in agriculture negatively affect the invertebrate egg banks. We evaluated the effects of different rice cultivation systems and ages on resting stages of wetland invertebrates in southern Brazil. The richness was higher in conventional rice fields than in wetlands, and the composition was modified by rice system and age. These results improve our understanding of local biodiversity changes due to the expansion of rice fields.

Acquisition of robust data using underwater visual census is reliant on the ability of individual divers to accurately identify fish, and estimate their lengths. This study examines a technique with the potential to quantify and correct for observer bias in individual divers, using simultaneous diver-operated stereo video and underwater visual census surveys.