Seagrass-Watch HQ: The Team

	Seagrass-Watch HQ is based at the Northern Fisheries Centre in Cairns, Australia. Seagrass-Watch HQ is the core of the program. The role of Seagrass-Watch HQ is to develop scientifically rigorous assessment of seagrass resources, provide training, manage/validate/interpret the data, coordinate between communities and scientists, facilitate the establishment of networks and to continue the development and expansion of the program. Seagrass-Watch HQ also ensures the QAQC protocols for the program are followed and that the program is producing data of high quality, ensuring time and resources are not wasted.
	Program Leader:

	Len McKenzie (Principal Scientist) Len is a Principal Scientist with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries and Seagrass-Watch Program Leader. He is also chief investigator for the Marine & Tropical Scientific Research Facility (MTSRF) task on the condition, trend and risk in coastal seagrass habitats, Task Leader of the Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Programme – Intertidal Seagrass Monitoring and project leader for a series of projects involving the assessment and sustainable use of coastal fisheries habitat. Len has over 20 years experience as a research scientist on seagrass ecology, assessment and fisheries habitats. This includes experience within Australia and overseas in seagrass research, resource mapping/ assessment and biodiversity. He has provided information on seagrass communities that has been vital in management of seagrass resources of the Great Barrier Reef and also at the state, national and international levels. He has also advised on fisheries and coastal resource-use issues for managers, fishing organisations, conservation and community groups. Len is also the Secretary of the World Seagrass Association. Current Projects Seagrass-Watch Status and mapping of seagrass resources in Queensland Assessment of primary and secondary productivity of tropical seagrass ecosystems Investigations on the macrofauna associated with seagrass meadows Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan – Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program: intertidal seagrass

	Scientists:

	Richard Unsworth (Fisheries Biologist) Richard is a Fisheries Biologist with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries. Richard has eight years experience in academic research, commercial and non-governmental organisations. He recently commenced work for DPI&F developing habitat assessments and marine monitoring projects, having spent the last year working as a consultant for Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) on large marine development projects. Recent consultancy projects include Environmental Impact Assessments for a power station in Indonesia, Port Expansions in Western Australia, and road developments in Queensland. His PhD was "Aspects of the ecology of Indo-Pacific seagrass systems" and he has previously been involved with the monitoring of artisanal fisheries; work on direct economic value of habitats; and research into the effect of marine reserves on top predatory fish. His career has included consultancy, conservation and research projects in the Wales, Indonesia, Philippines, England, Portugal, Azores and the Isles of Orkney. Current Projects Seagrass-Watch Status and mapping of seagrass resources in Queensland Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan – Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program: intertidal seagrass more information http://www.richardunsworth.co.uk
	Jane Mellors (Fisheries Biologist) Jane is a Fisheries Biologist with Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, part of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI). Jane has over 25 years experience in seagrass related research and monitoring. She is the project Leader for the Seagrass-Watch component of the Seagrass Monitoring Project funded under the Torres Strait Caring for our Country Regional Investment Strategy. Jane is a specialist in tropical seagrass eco-physiology, seagrass taxonomy and geochemistry of marine sediments pertaining to seagrass meadow communities. Jane completed her Doctorate (Dept TESAG, James Cook University) on sediment and nutrient dynamics in coastal intertidal seagrass meadows of north eastern Australia of North Queensland. She is a co-author of A guide to tropical seagrasses of the Indo-west Pacific and Life in a Torres Strait Seagrass Meadow an environmental reader for students of the Torres Strait. She is the Treasurer of the World Seagrass Association Inc. Current Projects Torres Strait Seagrass Monitoring Project Seagrass-Watch

	Data/Web Management:

	Rudi Yoshida (Research Assistant) Rudi is a Scientific Assistant with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries. Rudi has over 12 years experience in seagrass related research and monitoring. He is also a core member of Seagrass-Watch HQ, and ensures data submitted is managed and QA/QC protocols applied. He is also responsible for maintenance of the Seagrass-Watch website. Current Projects Seagrass-Watch Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan – Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program: intertidal seagrass

	Technical Assistance:

	Naomi Smith (Technician) Naomi graduated with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Marine Biology and Zoology, from James Cook University in 2003. Naomi has been employed with the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries as a Fisheries Technician for the past 18 months, working on the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan project. The main task for this project is to collect and prepare the seagrass and sediment samples for further nutrient analysis. Naomi has also participated and co-ordinated in numerous Seagrass-Watch activities including public displays and community monitoring days. Naomi is confident in tropical seagrass taxonomy and the Seagrass-Watch methodology. Current Projects Seagrass-Watch Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan – Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program: intertidal seagrass

	Collaborative Scientists:

	Michelle Waycott (Associate Professor, James Cook University, Townsville) Michelle is Associate Professor in the School of Marine and Tropical Biology (James Cook University). Michelle's research focuses on how plants and animals have adapted to survival in extreme environments and the genetic, physiological and ecological implications of the strategies they adopt. Her research strands looking at marine angiosperm (esp. seagrass) population dynamics, genetics and evolution, molecular genetics, conservation genetics, biodiversity assessment en ecophysiological adaptations. Michelle's students cover a diverse range of biota from a number of charismatic marine animals (such as dugong, sea-snakes, terns and sea turtles), to plants from both terrestrial (mistletoe, melaleuca, samphires, palms, legumes or grasses) and marine (seagrasses, mangroves) environments. Our focus is on the population dynamics and evolution of their study species. Michelle is also the President of the World Seagrass Association. Current Projects Population genetics and evolution of Australian native plant populations Seagrass thecophysiology-link with plant physiological response and genotype Seagrass population genetics-microsatellite marker development in tropical seagrass species; population genetic Variation in survivorship of tropical seagrasses – Halophila ovalis, Halodule uninervis and Zostera meulleri Population genetic structure of dugongs in tropical Australia Evolutionary biogeography of northern Australia Global Initiative to Barcodes all Seagrasses Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan – Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program: intertidal seagrass more information http://www.jcu.edu.au/mtb/JCUDEV_014326.html
	Rob Coles (Senior Principal Scientist, QPI&F) Rob Coles is a Senior Principal Scientist at the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries, Queensland, and is responsible for providing assessments & advice on fisheries habitats issues in Queensland. Rob has over 20 years experience as a fisheries research scientist. His extensive national and international experience includes seagrass research, mapping, taxonomy, biodiversity, recovery after loss and resource evaluation, fisheries statistics and analysis. Rob is a coastal management specialist and lecturer in coastal management, planning, and EIS evaluation and problem scoping. He is internationally recognised for research in Indo-Pacific marine coastal ecosystems, he has supervised international consultancies, Doctoral and Masters students. Rob has also been involved in the Torres Strait Treaty arrangements and bilateral Aust/PNG fisheries agreements.