AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program: Visual Census Fish Data (Great Barrier Reef)

Temporal Range: From 17-Jun-1992 On Going

Resource Summary

About 50 selected reefs throughout the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are sampled in the AIMS Long-term Monitoring Project (LTMP). A visual census of fish on fixed transects (3 sites per reef, 5 x 50 m transects per site). Fishes from a list of 191 species, representing 10 families, are counted.

Individuals, Genus, Species are counted for a prescribed list of 212 species: all the parrotfishes, damselfishes, surgeon fishes, butterflyfishes, and some others. A full list of species observed each year are included in the appendices of each AIMS status report.

In 2004 a new zoning plan was implemented in the Great Barrier reef Marine Park and in 2006 the pattern of surveys was changed. The original set of reefs (47) are surveyed in odd years (e.g. 2007) and a different set (56 reefs) are surveyed in even years. The new set consists of paired reefs (one no-take, and one open to fishing) surveyed to assess the effects of rezoning. The paired reefs are near Cairns and Innisfail, Townsville, Mackay, the Swain Reefs and the Capricorn-Brunker group.

The lengths of coral trout only are standardly recorded.

To detect changes in reef fish communities over time at a regional scale.

All fish species counted are largely non-cryptic, easily identified underwater and include both commercial and non-commercial taxa. Because surveys span the annual recruitment season, 0+ individuals are excluded from counts: these are distinguished from adults by their small size and often distinctive colouration.

Abundance data for each fish species is subsequently summed over the five transects at each site on each reef to provide reasonable sample sizes for analysis and interpretation.

Updated results of surveys can be found at:
https://www.aims.gov.au/docs/research/monitoring/reef/latest-surveys.html

A subset of the data has been provided to the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS, http://www.iobis.org/explore/#/dataset/3936).

Data have been used for the e-Atlas:
http://eatlas.org.au/data/uuid/05bde62a-70ec-407b-b999-30cf369498af

Constraints
Resource Usage

All AIMS data, products and services are provided "as is" and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.

The data was collected under contract between AIMS and another party(s). Specific agreements for access and use of the data shall be negotiated separately. Contact the AIMS Data Centre (adc@aims.gov.au) for further information

Metadata Usage

All users of AIMS metadata must acknowledge the source of the material in the following manner: "Metadata was sourced from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)."

Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: "Australian Institute of Marine Science. [year-of-data-download], [Title], [data-access-URL], accessed (date-of-access]".

Resource Usage:

The data is under exclusive access period. Contact the AIMS Data Centre (adc@aims.gov.au) for possible access to the data within this period.

Access Constraint: restricted
Use Constraint: restricted
Security classification code: unclassified


Metadata Usage:
Security classification code: unclassified

Cite this Record
Copy
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2017). AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program: Visual Census Fish Data (Great Barrier Reef), https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/5be0b340-4ade-11dc-8f56-00008a07204e, accessed 24-Jan-2021.
General Links
Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 8.1 project on the paired zoning reefs.: Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 8.1 project on the paired zoning reefs.
Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 1.1 project on the standard set of reefs.: Subset of this data collected as part of the NERP TE 1.1 project on the standard set of reefs.
NERP TE Project 8.1 - Monitoring the ecological effects of GBR zoning plan on mid and outer shelf reefs: NERP TE Project 8.1 - Monitoring the ecological effects of GBR zoning plan on mid and outer shelf reefs
AIMS long-term reef monitoring program
NERP TE Project 1.1 - Monitoring status and trends of coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef: NERP TE Project 1.1 - Monitoring status and trends of coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef
Related Information
Recovery from disturbance of coral and reef fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: Emslie MJ, Cheal AJ, Sweatman HPA and Delean S (2008) Recovery from disturbance of coral and reef fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 371: 177-190.
Coral-macroalgal phase shifts or reef resilience: links with diversity and functional roles of herbivorous fishes on the Great Barrier Reef: Cheal AJ, MacNeil MA, Cripps E, Emslie MJ, Jonker M, Schaffelke B and Sweatman HPA (2010) Coral-macroalgal phase shifts or reef resilience: links with diversity and functional roles of herbivorous fishes on the Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 29: 1005-1015.
Spatial synchrony in coral reef fish populations and the influence of climate: Cheal AJ, Delean S, Sweatman HPA and Thompson AA (2007) Spatial synchrony in coral reef fish populations and the influence of climate. Ecology 88(1): 158-169.
Effects of different disturbance types on butterflyfish communities of Australia s Great Barrier Reef: Emslie MJ, Pratchett Ms and Cheal AJ (2011) Effects of different disturbance types on butterflyfish communities of Australia s Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs .
Great Barrier Reef butterflyfish community structure: the role of shelf position and benthic community type: Emslie MJ, Pratchett MS, Cheal AJ and Osborne K (2010) Great Barrier Reef butterflyfish community structure: the role of shelf position and benthic community type. Coral Reefs 29: 705-715.
Similar regional effects among local habitats on the structure of tropical reef fish and coral communities: Burgess S, Osborne K and Caley MJ (2010) Similar regional effects among local habitats on the structure of tropical reef fish and coral communities. Global Ecology and Biogeography 19: 363-375.
Maintenance of fish diversity on disturbed coral reefs: Wilson SK, Dolman A, Cheal AJ, Emslie MJ, Pratchett Ms and Sweatman HPA (2009) Maintenance of fish diversity on disturbed coral reefs. Coral Reefs 28: 3-14.
Habitat utilisation by coral reef fish: implications for specialists vs. generalists in a changing environment: Wilson SK, Burgess S, Cheal AJ, Emslie MJ, Fisher R, Miller IR, Polunin N and Sweatman HPA (2008) Habitat utilisation by coral reef fish: implications for specialists vs. generalists in a changing environment. Journal of Animal Ecology 77(2): 220-228.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier reef, Status Report: Sweatman HPA, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Emslie MJ, Johns K, Jonker M, Miller IR and Osborne K (2008) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier reef, Status Report. 8. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 369 p.
Rapid increase in fish numbers follows creation of world's largest marine reserve network: Russ GR, Cheal AJ, Dolman A, Emslie MJ, Evans RD, Miller IR, Sweatman HPA and Williamson DH (2008) Rapid increase in fish numbers follows creation of world's largest marine reserve network. Current Biology 18: R514-R515.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 1: Oliver JK, De'ath AG, Done TJ, Williams DMcB, Furnas MJ and Moran PJ (1995) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 1. LTM No.1. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 121 p.
Surveys of the effects of rezoning of the GBR Marine Park in 2004 on some fish species - preliminary findings. Report to Marine & Tropical Sciences Research Facility: Evans RD, Williamson D, Sweatman HPA, Russ GR, Emslie MJ, Cheal AJ and Miller IR (2006) Surveys of the effects of rezoning of the GBR Marine Park in 2004 on some fish species - preliminary findings. Report to Marine & Tropical Sciences Research Facility. Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University. 17 p.
Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 7: Sweatman HPA, Burgess S, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Emslie MJ, McDonald A, Miller IR, Osborne K and Thompson AA (2005) Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 7. Australian Institute of Marine Science & CRC Reef Research Centre. 257 p.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 3: Sweatman HPA, Bass DK, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Miller IR, Ninio R, Osborne K, Oxley WG, Ryan DAJ, Thompson AA and Tomkins P (1998) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 3. LTM No. 3. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 303 p.
The status of reef fishes on the Great Barrier Reef: Sweatman HPA, Thompson AA and Cheal AJ (1997) The status of reef fishes on the Great Barrier Reef. pp. 205-222. In: Wachenfeld D, Oliver JK and Davis K (eds) State of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area Workshop. Proceedings of a technical workshop held in Townsville, Queensland, Australia 27-29 November 1995. GBRMPA Workshop Series. 23. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 2: Sweatman HPA (1997) Long-term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 2. LTM No.2. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 161 p.
Standard Operational Procedure - Emslie MJ, Cheal AJ (2018) Visual census of reef fish. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 6.: Sweatman HPA, Abdo D, Burgess S, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Emslie MJ, Miller IR, Osborne K, Oxley WG, Page CM, Thompson AA and Cheal AJ (2004) Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 6. Australian Institute of Marine Science. CD-ROM.
Responses of coral and fish assemblages to a severe but short-lived tropical cyclone on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Miller IR, Osborne K and Sweatman HPA (2002) Responses of coral and fish assemblages to a severe but short-lived tropical cyclone on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Coral Reefs 21: 131-142.
Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef, Status Report Number 5: Sweatman HPA, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Delean S, Fitzpatrick BM, Miller IR, Ninio R, Osborne K, Page CM and Thompson AA (2001) Long-Term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef, Status Report Number 5. LTM No.5. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 106 p.
Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 4: Sweatman HPA, Cheal AJ, Coleman GJ, Fitzpatrick BM, Miller IR, Ninio R, Osborne K, Page CM, Ryan DAJ, Thompson AA and Tomkins P (2000) Long-term Monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Status Report Number 4. LTM No. 4. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 117 p.
A guide to the reef monitoring database. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 5: Baker VJ and Coleman GJ (2000) A guide to the reef monitoring database. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 5. SOP 5. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 72 p.
Visual census surveys of reef fish. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 3: Halford AR and Thompson AA (1996) Visual census surveys of reef fish. Long term monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef. Standard operational procedure No. 3. SOP 3. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 24 p.
Parent Record
AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program
Additional Information
Update FrequencyAs Needed
Collection StatusOn Going
Sampling FrequencyAnnually
Point of Contact
AIMS Data Centre
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
Source CatalogueAIMS Data Catalogue
Principal Investigator

Emslie, M

Credits
  • Sweatman, Hugh PA, Dr (Custodian)
Lineage
Statement: Originally 52 reefs were surveyed every year, the number of reefs declined to 47 due to difficulty of access every year. From 2005 the reefs in this program are visited every other year.

http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/reef-monitoring/methods.html

Complementary data is held from a different set of reefs, with a few reefs in common, as part of monitoring the effects of rezoning on the Great Barrier Reef.

To control data quality from a number of observers over time, the AIMS manual, Standard Operational Procedure Number 3, Visual Census Surveys of Reef Fish, delineates how standardised data collection and operational procedures are applied.