Stereo baited remote underwater video systems (stereo-BRUVs) are commonly used to assess fish assemblages and, more recently, to record the localised abundance and size of sharks. The present study investigated the occurrence and size of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in the near-shore environment off Bennett’s Beach, part of a known nursery area for the species in central New South Wales, Australia. Six stereo-BRUV units were deployed approximately fortnightly between August and December 2015 for periods of 5h in depths of 7–14m. Stereo-BRUVs successfully recorded 34 separate sightings of 22 individual white sharks. The highest number of individuals detected during a single day survey was eight. All C. carcharias observed on stereo-BRUVs were juveniles ranging in size from 1.50 to 2.46-m total length (mean±s.e., 1.91±0.05m; n=22). The time to first appearance ranged from 15 to 299min (mean±s.e., 148±15min). This study demonstrates that the use of stereo-BRUVs is a viable, non-destructive method to obtain estimates of the size and presence of white sharks, and may be useful in estimating relative abundance in near-shore environments where white sharks are known to frequent.

Light miscroscopy of the retina in the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina, reveal two distinct photoreceptor types. Histological criteria establish the two cell types as morphological rods and cones. The retina was studied through a sequential series of vertical sections in a protocol designed to evaluate the entire retina. By performing differential counts in multiple regions and expressing cones as a percent of the total photoreceptors in a domain, it was possible to determine relative cone density and distribution. Cone distribution varies throughout the retina in two patterns. First, relative cone density gradually decreases peripherally. Second, a cone-rich band occurs along the horizontal axis of the eye, extending from ora serrata to ora serrata. This structure appears to be a visual streak. Both distribution patterns are statistidy significant and are consistent among animals regardless of age. o

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Summary There is now considerable evidence that, as the climate continues to warm, bushfires are becoming more common and severe, particularly in regions such as south‐eastern Australia. The extraordinary Australian bushfires over the summer of 2019/2020 resulted in the burning of habitats such as highland peat swamps and intertidal estuarine wetlands over unprecedented spatial scales. Across New South Wales, these bushfires affected 183 ha of saltmarshes and 23 ha of mangroves in 19 estuaries. The percentage of fire‐affected saltmarsh ranged from 51% to 81% in the worst impacted estuaries, although typically ≤15% of mapped saltmarsh was damaged. Just over 50% of mangroves were burnt in Wonboyn Lake (although this constituted <0.2 ha), whereas in all other estuaries, ≤5% of mangroves were burnt. At the state‐wide scale, the likelihood of saltmarshes being affected by fire was unrelated to adjacent terrestrial vegetation; however, mangroves adjacent to burnt wet sclerophyll forest were more likely to burn than not. Burnt mangroves were almost exclusively associated with extreme or high severity fires in adjacent terrestrial vegetation, yet saltmarshes were also impacted in some cases by moderate or low‐intensity fires. Many species of saltmarsh plants had re‐sprouted or germinated after 6–24 months, but the extent of any recovery or changes in species composition were not quantified. The majority of fire‐affected mangrove trees appeared to be dead 24 months after the fires, despite observations of epicormic growth on some trees after six months. Bushfire impacts to estuarine wetlands are likely to become more frequent and results from our work can help target hazard reduction burning that might be considered for minimising damage to mangroves. More work is required to better understand potential longer term impacts and the capacity for natural recovery of estuarine wetlands from bushfires.

1. Although it is well established that human activities are linked to the loss of seagrasses worldwide, the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on the habitat fragmentation of seagrass meadows is less understood. This information is essential to identify how humans are modifying seascapes and what disturbances pose the greatest risk to seagrasses, which is pertinent given the rapid urbanization occurring in coastal areas. This study examined how the habitat fragmentation of an endangered seagrassPosidonia australis varied in relation to several anthropogenic disturbances (i.e. human population, marine infrastructure, terrestrial run-off and catchment land-usage) within 10 estuaries across 620 km of coastline in New South Wales, Australia.3. When comparing between estuaries, the fragmentation of P. australis meadows was significantly greater in estuaries adjacent to highly populated metropolitan centresgenerally in the Greater Sydney region. At sites within estuaries, the density of boat moorings was the most important predictor of habitat fragmentation, but there was also evidence of higher fragmentation with increased numbers of jetties and oyster aquaculture leases.4. These results suggest that the fragmentation of seagrass meadows will become more pervasive as the human population continues to grow and estuarine development increases. Strategies to mitigate anthropogenic disturbances on seagrass meadow fragmentation could include prohibiting the construction of boat moorings and other artificial structures in areas where seagrasses are present or promoting environmentally friendly designs for marine infrastructure. This knowledge will support ongoing management actions attempting to balance coastal development and the conservation of seagrasses.