Ecological performance measures for Victorian Marine Protected Areas: Review of the existing biological sampling program

Data collected from Victoria’s system of marine protected areas (MPAs) prior to their declaration and shortly after establishment were investigated to determine whether the Subtidal Reef Monitoring Program (SMRP) can be used to assess performance of these protected areas with time. The specific scientific aims of the sampling program are not clearly specified, making formal assessment of the data very difficult. In order to make some assessment, targets were defined, based on the range of changes observed in other marine protected areas around Australia and overseas. The SRMP involves measurement of the abundance of a wide range of fish and algae and selected mobile invertebrates and estimates of sizes of selected fish and harvested invertebrates, particularly abalone. Changes of interest were 20, 50, 100, and 200% of the current abundance of each of these organisms.