While this program will cover the South-Eastern Australia marine region (including State and Commonwealth waters from approximately the South Australia/ Western Australia border to approximately the New South Wales/ Queensland border), the outputs will contribute to developing and implementing relevant national plans and strategies such as the National Climate Change and Fisheries Action Plan (Draft), and the National Adaptation Research Plan for Marine Biodiversity and Resources.

Within the context of the SEAP, the outcomes of this project will be used to inform the need and priorities for additional social and economic research, and will inform subsequent analyses of management and adaptation strategies. It will also complement and inform the development of a vulnerability framework for use in the marine context in SEAP.

Climate change is expected to alter physical and chemical oceanographic conditions and processes around Australia, yet the influence this could have on the distributions of various marine species is still relatively unknown. The marine waters of South Eastern Australia are expected to be significantly affected by climate change, experiencing the greatest climate-driven changes in the southern hemisphere over the next century. The impacts and opportunities that will result from these changes will depend, in part, on how well the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and their managers respond to these challenges. A sound risk-based approach to informing both management arrangements and decisions by the sectors will be critical for optimizing outcomes. It is essential that the potential impacts of climate change on key resources are assessed and effectively communicated to support the development of policies that allow industry to minimize adverse effects by optimizing adaptation responses (e.g. by providing flexible management arrangements) and seizing opportunities as they arise (e.g. for species where productivity increases).

This project has been identified as a clear and immediate need through the SEAP Plan (draft) and also establishes a platform of baseline information from which we can start to address several key priority areas identified in the Draft Marine National Adaptation Research Plan (NARP). Priorities identified in the draft NARP include 1/ Which farmed species in which locations are most likely to be impacted as a result of climate change?, and for fisheries 2/ Which fishery stocks, in which locations, are most likely to change as a result of climate change? What will those changes be (e.g., in distribution, productivity) and when are they likely to appear under alternative climate change scenarios? Clearly, comprehensive and synthesised information on the sensitivities and tolerances of key species are the first steps required to address these priorities.