Oil and gas explorers use seismic surveys to determine the location and size of oil and gas reservoirs. The potential impact of such marine seismic surveys (MSS) on the commercial fishing industry is of significant concern around Australia where petroleum interests overlap important fishing grounds. The overlap between seismic surveys to be conducted in the Gippsland Basin and the shelter-pot octopus fishery raised concerns from the fishing industry about the potential impacts to octopus and the fishers.

This investment will determine the impact of intense low frequency acoustic signals (as used in seismic surveys) on the development of eggs, hatching rates, competency of hatchlings and adult pale octopus (Octopus pallidus) including catch rates. The project will also assess the impact of intense low frequency seismic signals on important planktonic larvae, particularly crustaceans and molluscs including the pueruli of southern rock lobsters and outline threshold distances for potential impacts of seismic surveying.