This survey tool provides vital reef health status updates to inform the Reef Health Incident Response System and trigger management actions from GBRMPA. The data from this program allows Marine Park managers to compare results on individual reefs and between reefs.
This survey can be used as an intensive targeted impact assessment for hotspots identified through the early warning system of citizen science surveys such as the Tourism Weekly or Rapid Monitoring surveys that other organisations carry out. This enables the GBRMPA to quickly and effectively allocate limited resources to minimise reef damage and support reef resilience.
Our role in RHIS surveys is to collect this data and we especially focus on sites when impacts are either occurring or have previously happened. This includes impacts such as Crown of Thorns outbreaks, bleaching events or even cyclones.
