What is Eye on the Reef?

Eye on the Reef is a powerful monitoring and assessment program developed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks Authority. It allows anyone – from everyday tourists to marine biologists, who are enthusiastic and dedicated about protecting the environment to make a difference by taking part. Eye on the Reef surveys provide the Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks Authority valuable information about the reef health, marine animals and incidents.

Conducting a Species Count on a Green Turtle as part of our Marine Conservation Program

Participating in Eye on the Reef is simple and the first step is to simply report what you see at the reef via the Eye on the Reef App. Share your photos of the marine life you saw while snorkelling or diving, pests you may have encountered (e.g. Crown of Thorns Starfish), pollution or other special occurrences (e.g. coral spawning).

The next step is to do a Rapid Monitoring survey, which involves a 10-minute timed swim as well as up-close analysis of the seabed and surrounding area. Using an underwater slate do a fish and species count while undertaking the 10-minute swim before then doing a survey of a 5m radius area underwater. While doing the benthic assessment of your selected site it is vital to choose a section of the reef representative of the general area you are at. Your assessment of the seabed incorporated noting percentages of sand, live coral, coral rubble, damage and macroalgea as well as the presence of key impacts – Damage, Disease, Bleaching and Predation. All results are noted on the slate, then once back onboard, transferred to a paper copy and input onto the GBRMPA webpage. Prior to doing Rapid Monitoring surveys it is recommended to get online and complete GBRMPA’s multimedia training course. The training course assists surveyors in completing surveys.

No Limit Adventures’ Marine Conservation program participants complete a number of Rapid Monitoring surveys under the guidance of a qualified Eco-Guide onboard Passions of Paradise. Your Eco-guide supports participants firsthand when the surveys are carried out. While working in the water your guide is there to point out the various impacts, benthic categories and fish species. If you are unsure about anything you have an expert on-hand to explain everything in details making your experience on the Great Barrier Reef a memorable one.

Each participant taking part in our Marine Conservation program incorporating Eye on the Reef – Rapid Monitoring will directly contribute to the reefs long-term protection.

Eye on the Reef is a reef monitoring and assessment program run by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.