| Abstract
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Opportunistic visual surveys were conducted in transit to, and within, the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR)
in the Timor Sea during September and October 2012 onboard the RV Solander.
This resource comprises species lists and estimated counts of marine mammals, sea snakes, seabirds, sea turtles and other
large wildlife encountered during the voyage.
The Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve survey was undertaken as an activity within the Australian Government's National
Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and was the key component of Research Theme 4 - Regional Biodiversity
Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans. Hub partners involved in the survey included the Australian Institute of Marine
Science, Geoscience Australia, the University of Western Australia, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the
Northern Territory. Data acquired during the survey included: multibeam sonar bathymetry and acoustic backscatter; sub-bottom
acoustic profiles; physical samples of seabed sediments, infauna and epibenthic biota; towed underwater video and still camera
observations of seabed habitats; baited video observations of demersal and pelagic fish, and; oceanographic measurements
of the water column from CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) casts and from deployment of sea surface drifters. Further
information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38: Nichol,
S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L.,Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de
Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity
Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 - Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).
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