NERP TE 8.1: Great Barrier Reef Zoning Ecological Effects, 2011-2014

The 2004 rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park created paired 'no-take' and fished reef sites for ecological comparison. Surveys from 2011 to 2014 by the Australian Institute of Marine Science track fish abundance, coral trout size, and wider community effects. Results aim to measure direct and indirect impacts of fishing protection, including potential trophic cascades and coral health.

Use Cases

• Compare fishery species abundance and size between protected and fished zones based on survey data.
• Analyze indirect effects of fishing protection on non-target fish species and herbivore populations.
• Model potential trophic cascades from changes in predator abundance mentioned in the description.
• Assess coral recruitment and disease incidence in relation to herbivorous fish numbers.
• Track population dynamics of target species like coral trout and by-catch such as reef sharks over time.

Strengths

• Survey design includes paired reef comparisons across five regions of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
• Explicitly tracks multiple ecological effects: target fish, by-catch, non-target species, and coral health.
• Data collection period spans at least three years from 2011 to 2014.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the five surveyed regions of the GBRMP.

Provenance

Source

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Field surveys of paired 'green zone' (no-take) and 'blue zone' (fished) reefs.

Time Range

2011-2014

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 17:17:57.369326; freshness should be verified

Geography

Five regions within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia.