Dugong aerial survey - Final INPEX

This broad scale survey provides a regional context for the significant marine biodiversity values of the Northern Territory coast. The high relative abundance of many marine megafauna species, particularly coastal dolphins and turtles suggest that the Northern Territory has some of the most important populations in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. These data will inform future research priorities for Dugong, marine turtles and cetaceans and contribute towards improved management of these important species. The primary objective of this Dugong aerial survey was to improve current knowledge of Dugong abundance and distribution in Northern Territory coastal waters and compare this with historical survey efforts.- Executive summaryMade available by the Northern Territory Library via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).Executive summary -- Introduction -- Methods -- Results -- Discussion -- Acknowledgements -- ReferencesDugong aerial surveys have been undertaken over the Darwin-Bynoe Harbour region as part of an INPEX-led Ichthys LNG Project Nearshore Environmental Monitoring Plan (Cardno 2015b). This program used methods comparable to those in other Dugong aerial surveys with a greater intensity to try to detect change in Dugong populations