Title: DIVING INTO THE DEEP-END: BAITED REMOTE UNDERWATER VIDEO STATIONS (BRUVS) TO STUDY DEEP-REEF FISH IN THE GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA

Abstract: Underwater video has great utility to study harder to sample areas such as deeper reefs. Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS) and multi-beam bathymetry were used to investigate deep-reef fish communities off the continental slope in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. BRUVS were deployed between 50-300m and fish species richness and diversity were recorded using Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) software. There were significant differences in fish assemblages across depths, with different dominant families and groups of species characterising broad depth categories. For the particular reefs studied, multi-beam habitat derivatives such as depth, rugosity and slope were correlated with higher species diversity and greater abundance. This study resulted in novel records for fish species recorded elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific at similar depths and also identified potential new species. BRUVS have proved useful as a fishery-independent method to survey fish communities, to identify potential “hot-spots” of biological diversity and new species, and to explore surprisingly diverse deep reefs.

Authors: Sih TL, Cappo M, Kingsford MJ

Presentation: Oral

Session: 29

Date: 06/21/16

Time: 16:15

Location: 308 A/B

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