National Reef Monitoring Network: Site Locations for Shallow Reef Surveys

Site location data from the National Reef Monitoring Network, collating shallow reef surveys conducted around Australia and worldwide. The data is contributed by multiple organizations including Reef Life Survey, Parks Australia, and various state government departments. It supports the establishment of national marine baselines and assists in the management of Commonwealth and State marine reserves.

Use Cases

• Establishing national marine baselines based on coordinated survey data.
• Managing Commonwealth and State marine reserves using collated site information.
• Monitoring changes in local reef biodiversity over time based on repeated surveys.
• Raising community awareness of marine biodiversity status through publicly available data.

Strengths

• Data is collated from multiple authoritative contributors including Reef Life Survey and several Australian government departments.
• Sites are defined with specific criteria, such as a minimum 200 m separation or a significant geological feature.
• Data is made rapidly available according to the description.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2026-06-16 21:53:41.012085; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, collating data from Reef Life Survey, Parks Australia, and multiple state departments.

Collection Method

Surveys of rocky and coral reefs conducted using scientific methods, coordinated by the Reef Life Survey and the Australian Temperate Reef Network.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-16 21:53:41.012085

Geography

Shallow reefs around Australia and worldwide.