Southern Australia Moorings
Southern Australia Moorings
Southern Australia Moorings is responsible for an array of regional moorings designed to monitor the current systems and biogeochemistry of the South Australian coast. Moorings are currently located at four locations including a shelf mooring off Coffin Bay, eastern Spencer Gulf, upper Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent off Adelaide. Southern Australia Moorings are also responsible for maintaining the Kangaroo Island National Reference Station.
Paul Malthouse, SARDI
Data
The moorings located off Coffin Bay and eastern Spencer Gulf in combination with the National Reference Station at Kangaroo Island provide vital data on coastal upwelling of the region, outflow of the Spencer Gulf and the increasing influence of key currents of the region (the Leeuwin Current, Tasman Outflow and Flinders Current).
Why it’s important
Both the Spencer and St Vincent Gulf’s support key fisheries, aquaculture and provide nursery grounds for many juvenile fish species. The moorings located in upper Spence Gulf and Gulf St Vincent are designed to provide long-term monitoring of these regions, informing the human impacts of these estuary systems from growing populations, mining and agriculture.
Useful information
Acknowledging IMOS
Users of IMOS data are required to clearly acknowledge the source material by including the following statement:
Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). It is operated by a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture, with the University of Tasmania as Lead Agent.