Coral community data of coastal fringing reefs : pilot study

The Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) commissioned the Centre for Environmental Management (CEM) to develop a project to rapidly assess and map the local coastal fringing reefs. Two reefs were selected based on available digital colour aerial photographs supplied by Queensland Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The first reef, Hummock Hill Reef (HHR), was located adjacent to Hummock Hill Island (23.99S; 151.48E), and the second reef, Stringers Reef (SR), was located 1.6 km North of the Rules Beach, beach access track, near the mouth of Baffle Creek (24.48S; 152.03E). Ground truthing and reef substrate assessments were carried out. Data were then analysed, mapped and classified into Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Four transects ranging from 100-350m were laid out in each reef. Two techniques were assessed, a rapid assessment technique where a diver recorded substrate encountered at each 5m interval and calculated percent cover based on how frequently the substrate was encountered throughout the transects and a Point Intercept Method (PIM) where a diver photographed the substrate at every 5m interval. Percent substrate cover was calculated using a visual basic image analysis program (CPCe). The two techniques were compared and discussed.