Williams et al. (2009) report on new multibeam sonar bathymetry and underwater video data collected from submarine canyons and seamounts on Australia's southeast continental margin to 'investigate the degree to which geomorphic features act as surrogates for benthic megafaunal biodiversity' (p. 214). The authors describe what they view as deficiencies in the design of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the southeast region of Australia, in which geomorphology information was employed as a surrogate to infer regional-scale patterns of benthic biodiversity. This comment is designed to support and underscore the importance of evaluating MPA designs and the validity of using abiotic surrogates such as geomorphology to infer biodiversity patterns, and seeks to clarify some of the discrepancies in geomorphic terminologies and approaches used between the original study and the Williams et al. (2009) evaluation. It is our opinion that the MPA design criteria used by the Australian Government are incorrectly reported by Williams et al. (2009). In particular, we emphasise the necessity for consistent terminology and approaches when undertaking comparative analyses of geomorphic features. We show that the MPA selection criteria used by the Australian Government addressed the issues of false homogeneity described by Williams et al. (2009), but that final placement of MPAs was based on additional stakeholder considerations. Finally, we argue that although the Williams et al. (2009) study provides valuable information on biological distributions within seamounts and canyons, the hypothesis that geomorphic features (particularly seamounts and submarine canyons) are surrogates for benthic biodiversity is not tested explicitly by their study.

This dataset reflects the external boundaries of all native title determination and compensation applications that are currently recognized and active within the Federal Court process. Applications that are non-active (i.e. withdrawn, dismissed, finalised, rejected or combined) are only included as aspatial records for completeness. This is a national dataset with data partitioned by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these for completeness. This dataset depicts the spatial definition of active Claimant and Non-claimant native title determination applications and compensation applications. Where possible these may include internal boundaries or areas excluded. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member where assigned to the application. Applications included on the Schedule of Native Title (Federal Court) include all registered and unregistered applications as well as determined applications that are yet to be finalized.

This dataset reflects the external boundaries of all native title determination and compensation applications that are currently recognized and active within the Federal Court process. Applications that are non-active (i.e. withdrawn, dismissed, finalised, rejected or combined) are only included as aspatial records for completeness. This is a national dataset with data partitioned by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these for completeness. This dataset depicts the spatial definition of active Claimant and Non-claimant native title determination applications and compensation applications. Where possible these may include internal boundaries or areas excluded. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member where assigned to the application. Applications included on the Schedule of Native Title (Federal Court) include all registered and unregistered applications as well as determined applications that are yet to be finalized.

This dataset reflects the external boundaries of all native title determination and compensation applications that are currently recognized and active within the Federal Court process. Applications that are non-active (i.e. withdrawn, dismissed, finalised, rejected or combined) are only included as aspatial records for completeness. This is a national dataset with data partitioned by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these for completeness. This dataset depicts the spatial definition of active Claimant and Non-claimant native title determination applications and compensation applications. Where possible these may include internal boundaries or areas excluded. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member where assigned to the application. Applications included on the Schedule of Native Title (Federal Court) include all registered and unregistered applications as well as determined applications that are yet to be finalized.

This dataset attempts to reflect the boundaries of claimant applications for Native Title as per the Register of Native Title Claims (s185, Native Title Act; Commonwealth). This is a national dataset but data is stored by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these. This dataset depicts the spatial record of registered claimant applications. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member assigned to the application. Applicants of registered applications have the Right To Negotiate (RTN) with respect to certain types of Future Acts over the area being claimed. Whilst applications that are determined are recorded on a separate register, all registered applications remain on the Register of Native Title Claims until otherwise finalised.

This dataset reflects the external boundaries of all native title determination and compensation applications that are currently recognized and active within the Federal Court process. Applications that are non-active (i.e. withdrawn, dismissed, finalised, rejected or combined) are only included as aspatial records for completeness. This is a national dataset with data partitioned by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these for completeness. This dataset depicts the spatial definition of active Claimant and Non-claimant native title determination applications and compensation applications. Where possible these may include internal boundaries or areas excluded. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member where assigned to the application. Applications included on the Schedule of Native Title (Federal Court) include all registered and unregistered applications as well as determined applications that are yet to be finalized.

This dataset attempts to reflect the boundaries of claimant applications for Native Title as per the Register of Native Title Claims (s185, Native Title Act; Commonwealth). This is a national dataset but data is stored by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these. This dataset depicts the spatial record of registered claimant applications. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member assigned to the application. Applicants of registered applications have the Right To Negotiate (RTN) with respect to certain types of Future Acts over the area being claimed. Whilst applications that are determined are recorded on a separate register, all registered applications remain on the Register of Native Title Claims until otherwise finalised.

This dataset reflects the external boundaries of all native title determination and compensation applications that are currently recognized and active within the Federal Court process. Applications that are non-active (i.e. withdrawn, dismissed, finalised, rejected or combined) are only included as aspatial records for completeness. This is a national dataset with data partitioned by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these for completeness. This dataset depicts the spatial definition of active Claimant and Non-claimant native title determination applications and compensation applications. Where possible these may include internal boundaries or areas excluded. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member where assigned to the application. Applications included on the Schedule of Native Title (Federal Court) include all registered and unregistered applications as well as determined applications that are yet to be finalized.

This dataset attempts to reflect the boundaries of claimant applications for Native Title as per the Register of Native Title Claims (s185, Native Title Act; Commonwealth). This is a national dataset but data is stored by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these. This dataset depicts the spatial record of registered claimant applications. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member assigned to the application. Applicants of registered applications have the Right To Negotiate (RTN) with respect to certain types of Future Acts over the area being claimed. Whilst applications that are determined are recorded on a separate register, all registered applications remain on the Register of Native Title Claims until otherwise finalised.

This dataset attempts to reflect the boundaries of claimant applications for Native Title as per the Register of Native Title Claims (s185, Native Title Act; Commonwealth). This is a national dataset but data is stored by jurisdiction (State), for ease of use. Applications stored for each jurisdiction dataset include applications which overlap into adjoining jurisdictions as well as applications which overlap with these. This dataset depicts the spatial record of registered claimant applications. Aspatial attribution includes National Native Title Tribunal number, Federal Court number, application status and the names of both the NNTT Case Manager and Lead Member assigned to the application. Applicants of registered applications have the Right To Negotiate (RTN) with respect to certain types of Future Acts over the area being claimed. Whilst applications that are determined are recorded on a separate register, all registered applications remain on the Register of Native Title Claims until otherwise finalised.