Forecasting risk of exposure to dangerous jellyfish 2007 - 2009 (Cooktown, Cairns and the Palm Island Group) (MTSRF 4.8.7, JCU)

Surveys to determine abundance patterns of jellyfishes across the continental shelf were undertaken over three summers starting in December 2007 along three cross shelf transects (Cooktown, Cairns and the Palm Island Group). Sampling was done in three strata at inner, mid and outer-shelf reef or island sites and an inshore beam-trawl survey. Within each distance strata sampling was done at two sites separated by 0.7 to 3 km and at each site two replicate one hour samples were taken for abundance data. Sampling was also done by beam trawl (3 m * 0.5 m, 1mm mesh) at all cross shelf transects. The beam trawl was towed in very shallow water (< 2 m deep) and deeper waters (3 to 5 m deep) adjacent to the mainland at the entrance of rivers and 1 km from the rivers; n= 2 ten minute tows. The jellyfishing was conducted at night for one hour per site utilising underwater lights (1000 W bulbs) to attract jellyfish to the research vessel. The lights were left on for longer for the purposes of collecting jellyfishes for genetics, elemental chemistry and a piggy back projects. Fine-mesh plankton samples (100 ?m mesh) were taken at all sites to detect small jellyfishes and describe cross-shelf patterns of plankton abundance. All of the plankton samples have been worked up. In all sampling designs all target species were recorded and/or collected. Some collections have been used for studies on genetics and elemental fingerprints. Data was coded by Year, Latidude, Location, Site, Replicate number, and then the frequency of species of interest were recorded. These included Carukia barnesi, Carybdea sivickisi, Carybdea xaymacana, Malo kingi, Morbaka fenneri, Cyanea sp., Mastigiassp., and Aurelia sp. In 2007-2008 we collected 96 Carukia barnesi in all three cruises. Cooktown Transect- Rockey Islets, Low Wooded Is., Lizard Is., Yonge Reef. Cairns Transect- Fitzroy, Green Island, Arlington, Michaelmas. Townsville (Palms) Transect- Pandora, Orpheus, Britomart, Barnett Patches.