Subtidal Marine Communities Inhabiting the Jetty Structure, Coffs Harbour: A preliminary inspection

Abstract

The brief for this work was to conduct a preliminary inspection of the marine communities inhabiting the subtidal sections of the jetty structure in the harbour at Coffs Harbour. Specifically, the upcoming maintenance work, which proposes to replace a number of the jetty pilings and girders, requires a licence from the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) under the Fisheries Management Act. As part of the assessment process, DPI requested that searches for sygnathids (sea-horses, sea-dragons and pipe-fish) and for the brown alga 'Nereia lophocladia' should be conducted along the structure. The objectives of this inspection were therefore to: 1. compile a list of dominant seaweeds and marine growth on the pilings; and 2. to conduct a preliminary search for sygnathids.