Great Reef Census: Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef document life, bleaching and health of coral

A motley flotilla of tourism vessels, tug boats, tinnies and yachts has documented the health of almost 100 reefs off the Far North coast. Here’s what they found.

A MOTLEY flotilla of tourism vessels, tug boats, tinnies and yachts has hit the halfway mark on one of the most ambitious citizen science projects in the world.

The Great Reef Census has already surveyed almost 100 reefs from Cape York to the Whitsundays, with a target of reaching 200 over the coming weeks.

It is the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef initiative’s second year and research is now translating into valuable modelling for researchers and reef restoration organisations – not to mention painting a true picture of the natural wonder’s true health.

Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef CEO Andy Ridley said the Cairns tourism industry had overwhelmingly supported the program but more help was needed to reach the 200-reef target by year’s end.

Divers are out taking snapshots of reefs all up and down the North Queensland coast in an effort to document the ecosystem in all of its rawness.

Those images will be pored over by a network of thousands of volunteer “citizen scientists” across the world to work out which areas need the most attention.

Entrada Travel Group has had all four of its vessels out taking part in the census, including a week-long expedition to the Ribbon Reefs.

The Reef Women survey team of scientists and tourism crew members and Indigenous rangers reached 46 separate reefs on the Great Reef Census. Picture: Harriet Spark / Grumpy Turtle Creative

A charter group of 30 Sunshine Coast residents on a free-dive course took up the challenge to help secure precious information about the remote reefs.

Entrada’s TNQ operations manager Hans Ullrich said tour operators’ massive support for the Great Reef Census was not entirely unselfish.

“It gives a really good picture of the situation on the Great Barrier Reef, instead of just having one study or studies done on certain sections,” he said.

“Because you have tourists, customers and staff all involved, it gives you a much clearer picture.

“You can prove it’s not all doom and gloom, that there’s a lot of positivity in it.”

The tourism fleet is not alone in its support for the Great Reef Census cause.

North Marine managing owner Courtney Hansen has had divers collecting data off a tug boat while mooring maintenance work is under way.

They have already surveyed 11 reefs and plan to notch up 35 by the end of the year.

“The Great Barrier Reef is our office, and our business is intrinsically linked to the health of the Reef and its continuing success,” Ms Hansen said.

“If we can be part of a system that helps collect data for whoever is the end user, it all feeds back into what we do.

Jarryd Flint, Kate O’Callaghan, Scotty Garden, Michelle Barry, Dr Abbi Scott, Le’a Dawes, Alan Wallish and Craig DeCourcy aboard an expedition team on the Cairns-based Allure Charters. Picture: Supplied

“We’re lucky because we get to see essentially from Cooktown all the way down to the Whitsundays, so we see a pretty broad section of the Great Barrier Reef.

“Certain areas are very different, and that’s the whole point of this project.

“It identifies what reefs are healthier than others, then that can help determine where … whoever has the funding can target their efforts.”

Visit greatreefcensus.org to get involved and explore a reporting map with all of the previous 2020 Great Reef Census images.

Follow @chriscalcino

Originally published as Great Reef Census: Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef document life, bleaching and health of coral