The estuarine and marine waters of South Australia and western Victoria encompass a vast region and diverse ecosystems including the Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth, South Australia’s unique gulfs, numerous off-shore islands and a large portion of the Great Australian Bight.  The region’s waters are internationally acknowledged for their unique diversity.  In addition, the level of endemism found in South Australian waters is unique, with 75% of the red algae, 85% of the fish species and 95% of seagrasses found nowhere else in the world, giving them local, national and international significance.

The shelf waters off the Kangaroo Island-Eyre Peninsula region, where most of the SA-IMOS Node activities are conducted, support one of Australia’s largest commercial fisheries ($320M per yr), most diverse marine ecosystems and the greatest density of apex predators such as whales, seal and sharks in Australia.

The uniqueness of South Australian marine waters, together with the increasing environmental threats related to them supporting more than 90% of the South Australian population and a range of activities including commercial fishing, aquaculture, shipping, mining, tourism, science, education and a variety of recreational pursuits requires the development of relevant management, conservation and sustainability strategies.  This requests an in-depth understanding of the nature of ocean circulation in this region, and how ocean circulation impacts the biological patterns and processes that underpin the overall productivity of the ecosystems.