Project Update: July 2015

The first thing you learn about the sea is … not to rush it … Unseasonably large swell rolled into False Bay this past summer, accompanied by the howling south-easterly winds more typical of the season. This makes working at sea with heavy equipment, winches and infinitely breakable cameras tricky – and means that you have to keep a beady eye on the forecasts at all times (not, of course, that the forecasts prove accurate all the time!)

Eight transects were conducted across False Bay, resulting in over 300 photographs of the seafloor that I will use to investigate the distribution of key invertebrate groups in the region. These photo samples were achieved by lowering a steel frame equipped with a downward-facing GoPro camera (set to photo-time-lapse) to the seafloor, where photographs were taken at set intervals. The GoPro sits in a customised housing that can go to 250 m depth, and once the camera has taken photographs of the seafloor for 30 seconds at one point along the transect, we haul it to the surface, steam 185 m further and then lower it again – and so the process repeats itself, for several kilometres along a single transect. I try to work from shallow to deep sites, moving against the depth gradient of the bay.

This is the starting point for my project: the marine invertebrates (think of groups of species like anemones, sea stars, mussels and octopuses) are key prey items for many fish in the same region. Understanding their distribution gives insight into the patterns of fish distribution in the bay. Some of these invertebrates (such as the West Coast rock lobster Jasus lalandii) are also targeted commercially and require ongoing monitoring to understand changes in their population size and distribution over time.

Here are some photos from field data collection:

Left: Our “jump camera” – a custom-made steel frame with a downward-facing camera to capture images of the seafloor and the invertebrates inhabiting the region. Middle: Fieldwork volunteers steady the jump camera between deployments. Right: A jump camera selfie – the view from the camera as we check between deployments that all is still operational.

Objectives

  1. Usestereo ‐ BRUVandjumpcamerastosurveytherelativeabundanceanddiversityofinvertebratesinFalse Bay.Thiswillbeusedasamethod-developmentphaseforcoastalinvertebratemonitoring andwillrepresentthefirstphotographic/filmrecordofbenthicanimalsinFalseBay.

Fully achieved - FirstGoProjumpcamerasurveyofFalseBay.400photosachievedovereighttransects.Sampling methodologypioneeredforSouthAfricantemperatewaters.ThesedataformPhDChapter2andwillcontributetoascientificpaper.

  1. Usestereo ­ BRUVtosurveytherelativeabundance,diversityandsizemeasuresoffishinFalseBay.

Partially achieved - SurveyiscurrentlyunderwayandwillbecompletedbyAugust2015.Pilotdeploymentscompletedin2014withtheDepartmentofAgriculture,ForestryandFisheries(DAFF)onRSEllenKhuzwayoandin2015onSargasso.

  1. EstablishbiotopesforFalseBaybasedoninvertebrateandichthyofaunadata,anddeterminetherelevanceofthesebiotopesasaproxyforbiodiversitymonitoring.

Partially achieved - ThisformsChapter4ofthePhDandisearmarkedforcompletionin2016. DatasetsforChapters2and3(above)needtobecollectedbeforethissectioncanbeanalysed.

  1. Establishtheextenttowhichfishingactivityandanthropogenicpressuresonbiodiversitycorrelatewithbiotopesofconservationimportance.

Not achieved - Thisformsthefinalchapter(Chapter5)ofthePhDandisearmarkedforcompletionin2016.

  1. Usestereo - BRUVdatainaregionalconservationplantoestablishmanagementandconservationscenariosforFalseBay.

Partially achieved - Thisandtheobjectiveaboveformpartofthesame,finalchapter(Chapter5)whichisearmarkedforcompletionin2016.

Aspertheoriginalapplication,thisisaPhDproject:“IintendtostartmyPhDprojectin 2014,whichwillrunfor3years.Thisperiodwillservetoaddressseveralkeyconservation issues,butitwillalsoallowmetocontinuemyawarenessworkandexpandonmyeducationprojects”(excerptfromoriginalapplication).Thedelayslistedbelow slowed initialprogressbuttheoverallprojecthasremainedoncourse.

  1. DelaysintheimplementationoffieldworkwereasaresultofparticularlydifficultanddangerousoceanconditionsinFalseBayin2014andearly2015.Unseasonablylargeswellinsummer2014,combinedwithtypicalhighwindconditions,reduced sea‐goingopportunities.Fieldsurveyswerestillachieved,butoveralongertimeperiod.Thisrequiredcarefulmonitoringofsuitablefieldconditions.
  2. Muchof2014wasspentconstructingthesupportequipmentnecessarytoconductfieldwork.Delaysinthecapstan‐winchconstructionandvesselseaworthinesstests for the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) slowed fieldwork, but madesurethatfieldworkcouldbeachievedsafelyandsustainablyoncegoing.Asa PhDproject,theworkisspreadoutoverthreeyearsandtherefore,carefulset‐upinthefirstyeariscriticaltoensuringtheworkcanbeconductedadequatelyovertheprojectduration.

Outcomes

  1. Thefirstremoteimagerysurveyofbenthic,macro-­‐invertebratesinFalseBay.Thisisalso one of the pioneer projectsto test a new system ofconducting seafloor photo‐surveys,usinga“jumpcamera”anditsfirstapplicationinSouthAfrica.Thedatasetachievedwillupdateprevioussurveysconductedinthe1950sandwillhighlightvulnerablespeciesandregionsofthebay.400photoshavebeencollected,analysed andarchivedforreference.
  2. Thefirststereo‐BRUVssurveyofichthyofaunainFalseBayiscurrentlyunderway.This builds ona growingdataset ofvideo footagefor fishin theregion, which contributestoongoingmanagementrecommendationsandconservationplanning.
  3. Futureoutcome(2016):AconservationplanfortheFalseBayregionbasedonupdatedbiodiversityinformationcollectedusingonlynon‐extractive,remoteimagerytechniques.

Beneficiaries

  1. TrainingopportunitiesprovidedforSouthAfricanNationalParks(SANParks)TableMountainNationalParkscientificservices(MbuleloDopolo)andinterns.Thisprojectformspartoftheongoingdevelopmentofsustainable,non‐extractivemeansofmarinemonitoringinSouthAfrica.
  2. EducationaroundreeffishandsharkvulnerabilityandfisheriessustainabilitytoFalseBayresidentsthroughpublictalks,publicationsandsocialmedia.

Future Plans

ByvirtueofbeingaPhDproject,thisworkwillrunforaminimumof3years.Thehand‐indateisearmarkedfor 2017.Thiswillresultin 1)aPhDthesisand 2)scientificpublications. However,myinvolvementintheregioninthelong‐term(IhavebeenworkinginFalseBaysince2012)meansthatthereareplansto1)makeremoteimagerymonitoringanannual programmeforSANParksandmanagementauthorities(Iamcurrentlyunderwaywith makingthisachievable)2)involvestudentgroupssuchastheOrganisationforTropical Studies(OTS)insmaller,ongoingresearchprojectsintheregionthatarebasedonmyfindingsandrecommendations.Moreover,significanteffortsinpublicawarenessbasedon myprojectmeanthatIwouldliketo1)continuetogeneratefilmandphotographicworkthat highlightsconservation issuesin theregionand 2)run programmesinpublic awareness throughtalksandpublications.Thecurrentworkhasalreadyraisedseveralissues;including,enforcementofthecurrentMPAbymanagementagencies,educationandattitudesof fishermen(commercialandrecreational)intheregionandconflictwithnon-extractiveusers ofFalseBay.Therefore,Ienvisageanother2yearsofworkonthePhDandthereafter,thetranslationofthefindingsintomanagementandpublicawareness.Allthisworkisalsotied intocoast-wideresearchthatIaminvolvedwithaspartoftheSouthAfricanEnvironmental ObservationNetwork(SAEON)andsotheintegrationofremoteimageryresearchisplanned forthelong-terminSouthAfrica.

Thecompletion of this PhD by 2017 isthe primary objective, and the most important stepatthisstage.Thismeansthattheremainingtwochapterswillbewrittenupin2016,afterall fielddatacollectioniscompletedin2015.Forthis,allremainingfundswillbeutilised.Morebroadly,thenextstepwillbetointegratemyfindingsintomanagementrecommendations andtheplanningofSANParksfortheregion.Fromaneducationperspective,thenextstep willbetosolidifytheplaceofcontentonreeffishandsharksinFalseBayinawarenessprogrammesandinthemedialocally.

Sharing Results

Scientistsandresourcemanagers:

  1. Scientificpublications–ataminimum,eachPhDchapterwillformapublication.
  2. Talksandtraining–ongoingtrainingonourresearchvesselSargassobyhostinginternsandscientificservices(currentlyunderway).
  3. PhDthesistomeettherequirementsforgraduationattheUniversityofCapeTown.
  4. Conferencepresentations–registrationatrelevantconferences.Thosealreadyattendedarelistedbelow.ItisexpectedthatIwillpresentattwomoreconferencesin2015(SymposiumofContemporaryConservationPracticeandtheSouthernAfricanSharkandRaySymposium)andanewlistofconferencesfor2016and2017willbedecidedlaterthisyear.

Publicawareness:

  1. Film( OttoWhitehead(
  2. Socialmedia( socialmediachannelsfortheon-­‐goingtransmissionofcontenttopublic)
  3. Photography(
  4. Publictalks(alistoftalkstodateisavailablebelow)

TheRuffordFoundationlogoisplacedoneveryPowerPointpresentationandfundingacknowledgementspage,andismentionedasafunder,ateverytalkgiven.Alistoftalks wheretheRuffordFoundationwasacknowledgedtodateisavailablebelow.Severalmoretalksandtwomoreconferencesarelinedupfor2015:

Scientificconferences:

  • DEVOSL,WATSONR,SANGUINETTIC,ATTWOODCG,GÖTZA.Baitedremoteunderwatervideosystem(BRUVs)surveyoftherelativeabundanceandseasonaldiversityofichthyofaunainFalseBay.15thSouthernAfricanMarineScienceSymposium,Stellenbosch,15th -18thJuly2014.
  • DEVOSL,WATSONR,GÖTZA,ATTWOODCG.Afirstbaitedremoteunderwatervideosystem(BRUVs)surveyoftheseasonaldiversityandrelativeabundanceofchondrichthyans inFalseBay, SouthAfrica.Sharks InternationalSymposium,Durban,2nd - 6thJune,2014.
  • DE VOS L,ATTWOOD CG,GÖTZ A,BERNARD ATF,WINKER H,PARKER D.Camerasforconservation:usingBRUVsforanewseaview.AliwalShoalMarineProtectedArea Forum,Kwa-­‐ZuluNatal,SouthAfrica,11th -14thFeb2014.
  • DEVOSL,BERNARDATF,GÖTZAANDATTWOODCG.2015.MappingbiodiversityinFalseBay:integratingunderwatercameratechnologyintomarinespatialplanning.Rufford SmallGrantsConferencesSouthernAfricanConferenceProceedings.Kirstenbosch NationalBotanicalGardens.16th -17thApril2015.

Publicawareness:

  • DEVOSL.Anewageofexploration.PROBUS.WestlakeGolfEstate.9March2015.
  • DE VOSL. (ongoing) Save ourSeasFoundationSharkEducationCentreMarineExplorer’sClub.
  • DE VOSL.WhatunderwatercamerasrevealaboutFalseBay,WildCardMagazineEvent.15thOctober2014.
  • DEVOSL,WHITEHEADTO,BENJAMINAS.Coast.FilmPremiered15thOctober2014.
  • DEVOSL.SeaView.FilmPremiered15thOctober2014.
  • DE VOSL.Workshophost:SANParksMPArangerssnorkeldaywithIAMWATERoceanconservationtrust,17thOctober2014.
  • DEVOSL.FalseBayonFilm,MuizenbergFestivalScienceTalks, 9thOctober2014.
  • DEVOSL.AnOceanSafari.OakhillPrimary.TalkincollaborationwithUCTMa‐Re.23rdSept2014.
  • DEVOSL.AnOceanSafari.SunValleyPrimaryincollaborationwithUCTMa‐Re,22nd Sept &23rdSept2014.
  • DEVOSL.AnOceanSafari.IslamicHomeSchool.TalkincollaborationwithUCTMa‐Re.18thSept2014.
  • DEVOSL.SharkSpotterssnorkeldaylecturewithIAMWATERoceanconservationtrust,22ndAugust2014.
  • DEVOSL.SouthAfricanmarinescience.IAMWATERconservationtrustlecture,25thApr2014.
  • DE VOSL.TheLifeAquatic.SciFestAfricaNationalScienceFestivalLectureSeries,1820sSettlersNationalMonument,Grahamstown,SouthAfrica,13thMarch2014.
  • DEVOSL.SciFestAfricaUCTMa‐ReDiscoverSeaTent,11th–19thMarch2014.
  • DEVOSL.CapeTownEnvironmentalEducationTrust,25thFeb2014.
  • Conferencesfunctions
  • EZEMVELO KZNWILDLIFESYMPOISUMOF CONTEMPORARYCONS.PRACTICE,Howick,3rd -7th Nov2014.
  • 15thSOUTHERNAFRICANMARINESCIENCESYMPOSIUM,Stellenbosch,15th -18thJuly2014.
  • SHARKSINTERNATIONALSYMPOSIUM,Durban,SouthAfrica,2nd -6thJune2014.

  • ALIWALSHOALMARINEPROTECTEDAREAFORUM,AliwalShoal,SouthAfrica,11th–14thFeb2014.

Comments

Theprojectiswellunderwayand,despitedifficultfieldconditionsin2014andearly2015,is expectedtocarryonandachievetheobjectivesoutlined.FundingfromtheRufford Foundationhasbeencrucialingettingthisprojectoffthegroundsuccessfully,andtheremainingfundswillbeusedtocompletefieldworkthisyearandcontinuetheawareness workinitiated.Additionally,myattendanceattheRuffordFoundationconferenceinCapeTownwasaparticularlyrewardingexperience.Connectiontoafunderthatsupportsawidevarietyofconservationscientistsfacilitatesnetworkingandtheestablishmentofavital supportbase.Ihavefoundthisahighlyrewardingnetworktobeapartof,andlookforward tomovingmyprojectforward.IintendtokeeptheFoundationupdatedonprogressuntilall thefundsareusedand,eventhoughthisisathree-­‐yearprojectasopposedtothetypicalone-­‐yearfundingcycleforprojectssupportedbytheFoundation,itwillbeworthtrackingtheprogressofthisprojecttoitsfullcompletionatPhDsubmission.