Welcome to the Eye on the Reef Program

A partnership between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the CRC Reef Research Centre and the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry

The Eye on the Reef Program is an environmental monitoring, education and stewardship program based upon a partnership between the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the reef research community - primarily through the Cooperative Research Centre for Reef Research. The Program’s main aim is to facilitate information exchange between the project partners, provide cost effective methods of obtaining ‘trend and trigger’ information about sites in the Great Barrier Reef, and to foster stewardship of the Reef by tourism industry staff.

The Program relies on tourism ‘deck staff’ (marine biologists and dive staff) who volunteer to collect standardised biological information at frequently visited sites. The data are stored in the Program database, analysed and reported back to industry staff and Reef managers. Research partners in the scientific community can also use the data to supplement their own research programs. While the indicators observed are relatively basic, the information is collected at weekly, even daily intervals at a large number of sites spread across a wide geographic area. The ability to frequently collect information, simultaneously across a wide range of sites for sustained periods, provides an unmatched level of spatial and temporal resolution. In return, industry staff are provided with updates on the latest scientific information and on-going education and training about the Great Barrier Reef. Industry staff are also provided with reports about conditions and trends at their site and material that can be used to enhance their visitor’s Reef experience.

The Program currently involves ten operators based in the Cairns and Port Douglas region. Current industry participants include:

• Program information: (details about how Eye on the Reef works, the partners involved, the types of data collected and the sites being monitored)
• Bits and Pieces (Eye on the Reef logsheet, useful links, images)
• News and events
• Contact Eye on the Reef

For Participants:

• Eye on the Reef Database

Copyright 2003 CRC Reef Research Centre Ltd