Reefcheck:

More on Corals Recent Report - Osprey Reef

If you are a scuba diver, marine scientist, community organizer or simply someone with a love of coral reefs, we need your help. Undersea Explorer biologists will coordinate this reef monitoring program along the Great Barrier Reef. You may join aboard Undersea Explorer Reefcheck expeditions or with scheduled programs at other GBR locations. We will form a team which will video record coral transects, record fish and invertebrate populations and potentially threatening disease, breakage and coral predators on the reef.

You will be part of an effort to make a difference to coral reef survival worldwide.

There will be much more than just surveying, the dive sites also offer awesome wall dives, big pelagic fish life and the great visibility of the Coral Sea. We will be diving the beautiful coral gardens of the ribbon reefs to complete the range of diving experiences for your trip and you will enjoy presentations about the reef life, and the research project of which you play an important part.  

The Research:

Reef Check is the largest international coral reef monitoring program involving recreational divers and marine scientists. In 1997, Reef Check teams completed the first global survey of coral reefs. Over 750 volunteer sport divers were trained and led by 100 volunteer scientists in surveys of more than 300 reefs in 31 countries. The results of Reef Check 97 provided the first solid evidence that coral reefs have been damaged on a global scale. Reef Check 98 covered 40 countries and documented an unprecedented global bleaching and mortality event (Results of Reef Check 98). In addition to producing valuable scientific results, Reef Check 97 raised the awareness of scientists, governments, politicians and the general public about the value of coral reefs, threats to their health and solutions to coral reef problems. This message was spread worldwide by TV coverage including CNN and BBC, and by major newspapers and magazines in a dozen languages. Due to popular demand, from now on Reef Check will be repeated every year.

The more people and countries that participate, the bigger the media attention will be, and the faster solutions can be implemented. Reef Check has been selected to be the "community-based" survey program for the United Nations' Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. Reef Check helps local community members learn how to monitor their coral reefs, providing the information needed so that they can be managed in a sustainable manner. Participation in Reef Check is one of the best methods of changing people's behavior and slowing the damage so that reefs can recover.

Reef Check is one solution to the coral reef crisis.  

Reef Check Summary

Why monitor coral reefs ? 16% of reefs lost in last 5 years 27% severely threatened
Reefcheck methods Shallow transects 4 x 20 metres Permanently marked - annual survey coral data - intercept data along tape measure live coral cover changes impact data - 5 m wide belt bleaching crown of thorns physical damage video transect - able to analyse to fine detail species effects fluorescent corals algal growth	Reefcheck program Investigates short and long term changes to coral reefs International through over 50 countries Standard methods
Undersea / JCU Reefcheck survey of GBR tourism visited sites not reliant on continued funding core group of volunteer survey divers tourist operators provide 3-6 berth spaces Undersea co-ordinates and provides equipment conducted during low season - March to May
Reefcheck training Jos Hill co-ordinates training JCU student group leaders and trainers checks on volunteer data quality efficient team produce quality data management agencies accept data	Reefcheck results International Data submitted to international centre Assessment of results Media publicity and public awareness Great Barrier Reef Data analyses in detail to GBRMPA Bleaching recovery series Hard Coral Species Diversity on Great Barrier Reef and Osprey Reef Sites Visited by the Undersea Explorer Report by Douglas Fenner, Ph.D. November, 2003 (click here)

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