In the Southern Hemisphere, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate along the extended continental coastlines of Australia, South America, and South Africa. This study reports on photo-identification capture–recapture data from a long-term survey conducted in Hervey Bay, Queensland, where a substantial proportion of the population stop over early in the southern migration. Photo-identification data were collected over 10 weeks per year from 1997 to 2009. The migration through Hervey Bay is dominated and led by females with high fidelity to the site. Mature females, yearlings, and immature whales use the Bay during August, while mature lactating females with calves dominate during September and October. Complex social behaviours occur throughout the season and differ between the early and late cohorts. We argue that the composition of the two cohorts and their distinctively different behaviours indicate that Hervey Bay is not simply a resting site but an area of aggregation that serves important social and biological benefits. A multistate open robust design model was fitted to capture–recapture data to estimate the annual number of whales visiting the Bay, the permanent emigration rate, proportions of the visiting population that do not enter the Bay each year, the number present during each week, and their residency times. The number of annual visitors to the Bay increased approximately linearly from 857 in 1997 to 2175 at the end of sampling in 2009 with two-thirds migrating through during the first half of each season. The population rate of growth may have been slowing by 2009, but there was considerable uncertainty in the trajectory and little basis for projection into the future. While it is desirable to know the current status of the Hervey Bay population and what has occurred since 2009, the cost and effort required make further manual collection and matching of images unlikely. The development of AI algorithmic matching software may enable further research in future.

The complex life history of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), where large stage-specific migrations occur throughout its life cycle, make it challenging to accurately estimate population dynamics for management. Basking populations may provide an opportunity to gain insight into the demographic parameters of green turtles. In this study, we assessed whether basking habitats supporting mixed age classes of turtles could be used for such a purpose. Field data were collected from 2006 – 2013. A random effects Cormack-Jolly-Seber modelling approach was used to estimate annual survival probabilities and abundances at a nocturnal basking habitat in Hervey Bay, Queensland (25.28962°S, 152.8309°E).

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17 to 141 individuals were collected from 8 populations of the fished holothurian species Holothuria scabra (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea), from north-east Australia, the Torres Strait, and the Solomon Islands and investigated by allozyme electrophoresis of 7 polymorphic loci.Two shallow populations of Holothuria scabra were sampled in the area of Hervey Bay (Urangan, Tin Can Bay) in south Queensland during June 1998. Individuals from a deeper population in Hervey Bay (18-20 m) were obtained during 3 trawl shots using commercial prawn-trawling equipment.One intertidal population was sampled ca. 800 km north Upstart Bay in 1998. Data from these samples were used in a previous study investigating the relationship between 2 colour morphs and the gene flow between deep and shallow populations. This population was re-sampled in May 2000 to investigate whether gene frequencies and the small size of individuals (as found in 1998) were stable over time.During August 1999, samples were obtained from 2 reefs in the Torres Strait at the northern end of the GBR (Warrior Reef, Dungeness Reef). Two locations in the Solomon Islands, Kohinggo Island (Solomon Island A) and Kolombangarra Island (Solomon Island B), were sampled in December 1999.Samples from intertidal populations were taken during low tides by walking on the mud flats. During these periods, holothurians in shallow tide pools, usually with at least a sparse seagrass cover, migrate to the surface of the sediment. Since large areas had to be covered to obtain sufficient individuals, no effort was made to obtain subsamples within each of the populations. The length of all individuals was recorded to the nearest centimetre. A subsample of the gut lining (cleaned from sediments) was snap frozen in liquid nitrogen for later analyses.Seven polymorphic enzyme loci were surveyed using allozyme electrophoresis: PGM, HK, GPI, MDH, PEP-1, PEP-2 and PEP-3. Full details of staining and electrophoresis methods are given in:Ballment E, Uthicke S, Peplow L, Benzie JAH (1997) Techniques for enzyme electrophoretic analysis of the holothurians Holothuria atra and Stichopus chloronotus (Holothuroidea: Aspidochirotida). Aust Inst Mar Sci (AIMS) Tech Rep Ser 27:1-47Basic analyses of genetic variability were carried out using programs in the BIOSYS-1. F-statistics, cluster analyses and tests of conformation to Hardy-Weinberg expectations were performed using the TFPGA package. The contribution of asexual reproduction to each population was calculated as described in detail in:Uthicke S, Benzie JAH, Ballment E (1998) Genetic structure of fissiparous populations of Holothuria (Halodeima) atra on the Great Barrier Reef. Mar Biol 132:141-151. Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for each locus at each reef were tested by an exact-test, using the conventional Monte Carlo method with the default settings in TFPGA. To test for evidence of isolation by distance, Mantel¿s tests were performed on transformed (log + 1) geographic distance (km) and Rogers' genetic distances. The significance of Mantel's normalised Z was tested by 10000 random permutations using NTSYS-PC software. The aim of the study was to investigate gene flow between populations separated by different geographic scales (~20-2000 km), along the north-east coast of Australia, Torres Strait and the Solomon Islands, to provide information on connectivity to assist management and add to fundamental knowledge on the biology of this ecologically and economically important species.

17 to 141 individuals were collected from 8 populations of the fished holothurian species Holothuria scabra (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea), from north-east Australia, the Torres Strait, and the …Show full description17 to 141 individuals were collected from 8 populations of the fished holothurian species Holothuria scabra (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea), from north-east Australia, the Torres Strait, and the Solomon Islands and investigated by allozyme electrophoresis of 7 polymorphic loci. Two shallow populations of Holothuria scabra were sampled in the area of Hervey Bay (Urangan, Tin Can Bay) in south Queensland during June 1998. Individuals from a deeper population in Hervey Bay (18-20 m) were obtained during 3 trawl shots using commercial prawn-trawling equipment. One intertidal population was sampled ca. 800 km north Upstart Bay in 1998. Data from these samples were used in a previous study investigating the relationship between 2 colour morphs and the gene flow between deep and shallow populations. This population was re-sampled in May 2000 to investigate whether gene frequencies and the small size of individuals (as found in 1998) were stable over time. During August 1999, samples were obtained from 2 reefs in the Torres Strait at the northern end of the GBR (Warrior Reef, Dungeness Reef). Two locations in the Solomon Islands, Kohinggo Island (Solomon Island A) and Kolombangarra Island (Solomon Island B), were sampled in December 1999. Samples from intertidal populations were taken during low tides by walking on the mud flats. During these periods, holothurians in shallow tide pools, usually with at least a sparse seagrass cover, migrate to the surface of the sediment. Since large areas had to be covered to obtain sufficient individuals, no effort was made to obtain subsamples within each of the populations. The length of all individuals was recorded to the nearest centimetre. A subsample of the gut lining (cleaned from sediments) was snap frozen in liquid nitrogen for later analyses. Seven polymorphic enzyme loci were surveyed using allozyme electrophoresis: PGM, HK, GPI, MDH, PEP-1, PEP-2 and PEP-3. Full details of staining and electrophoresis methods are given in: Ballment E, Uthicke S, Peplow L, Benzie JAH (1997) Techniques for enzyme electrophoretic analysis of the holothurians Holothuria atra and Stichopus chloronotus (Holothuroidea: Aspidochirotida). Aust Inst Mar Sci (AIMS) Tech Rep Ser 27:1-47 Basic analyses of genetic variability were carried out using programs in the BIOSYS-1. F-statistics, cluster analyses and tests of conformation to Hardy-Weinberg expectations were performed using the TFPGA package. The contribution of asexual reproduction to each population was calculated as described in detail in: Uthicke S, Benzie JAH, Ballment E (1998) Genetic structure of fissiparous populations of Holothuria (Halodeima) atra on the Great Barrier Reef. Mar Biol 132:141-151. Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for each locus at each reef were tested by an exact-test, using the conventional Monte Carlo method with the default settings in TFPGA. To test for evidence of isolation by distance, Mantel¿s tests were performed on transformed (log + 1) geographic distance (km) and Rogers' genetic distances. The significance of Mantel's normalised Z was tested by 10000 random permutations using NTSYS-PC software.