Here's the Bass Clef ad Bass Tab with the Open and first 3 frets of the E string. They appear to be an octave too low n the Staff with the Bass Clef.


Can I change this?

It looks correct to me.
Its tab so its showing open low E, F, F# + G on the Tab line.
The Tab represents strings, not notes.
 
Remember Bass Clef and Treble Clef have that 2 step  (sometimes 1 1/2) step difference on the staff.

Here are the same four notes transposed up an octave. See how it now aligns with the image from BassStringsOnine. com, but is played ctave up the E string.
 

Here's anther image showing that Open E is one line beneath the staff on bass clef, not four and a half

Sonar Vs Online sheet music

Sonar Vs Online sheet music

Much better examples this time.
I guess your best bet is to select all notes and move them up one octave.
Wish I had a better answer for you.

Could it be because bass parts, like guitar, are conventionally written an octave higher than played? And Sonar is showing correct p8tch rather than transposing up an octave!

Use  the Edit> Layout... menu in Staff View to access the Staff View Layout dialog.  Change the Clef value of the Bass track to "8va Bass".    As @tlw suggested, both Guitar and Bass are notated an Octave higher than they sound.
 
Hope this helps,
-- Ron 

Thanks, that worked.
 
I had started to think that it may be written and octave up. I play wind instrument in 3 different keys and used t pay a bari sax. But the solution for these involves transposing the midi track one way, while transposing the track content the other.
 
As usual these solution lay in a step I hadn't looked up along the way (and repeatidily when I re-created)
 
I've not used TAB view before, and I'm not used t the bass clef. Having them side by side may help me become mere familiar with the Bass clef.