Project Information

The Eye on the Reef program is based on a partnership between the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and the reef research community. Eye on the Reef’s main aim is to increase communication and information exchange between all three partners, achieving a number of specific objectives.

Specific objectives of the Eye on the Reef Program:

• Encourage stewardship and shared responsibility for the protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (the Marine Park).
• Facilitate active partnership management of the Marine Park between the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS).
• Provide ‘trend and trigger’ information to management agencies and researchers regarding natural disturbances, mass mortality events or unusual biological or physical phenomena (eg: coral bleaching, coral disease, algal blooms).
• Alert operators and management agencies to potential impacts of human activities (eg: site damage, incident reporting).
• Provide accurate and up-to-date information to increase tourism staff capacity and understanding of the Great Barrier Reef and their sites, and to facilitate staff training in issues such as Responsible Reef Practices.
• Provide material that can be used to enhance on-board environmental interpretation and education to tourists.
• Formalise, record and archive site-specific biological observations and anecdotal information at frequently used sites.
• Provide a platform and process to facilitate involvement in other programs (eg: GBRMPA BleachWatch program, incident reporting).

Click here to find out more about:

• Eye on the Reef partners
• How the program works
• Information and data
• The history of the Eye on the Reef Program

Copyright 2003 CRC Reef Research Centre Ltd