NESP MaC 4.13: Australia's Tropical Shellfish Reef Maps and Characterisation, 2024-2026

A 2024-2026 project will map and assess tropical oyster reefs across Northern Australia using satellite imagery, community consultations, and Traditional Owner Knowledge. Planned outputs include point and polygon spatial datasets for reef locations, historical records, and detailed characterisation of 7 sites with 3D photogrammetry. The project is managed by the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub and aims to inform future protection and restoration needs.

Use Cases

• Mapping past and present shellfish reef locations based on satellite imagery and historical records mentioned in the description
• Developing rapid assessment methods for oyster populations based on full characterisation of selected reef sites
• Informing conservation status and management plans based on analysed data and policy recommendations from the final technical report

Strengths

• Planned outputs include detailed 3D photogrammetry and polygon boundaries for 7 specific reef sites in Queensland.
• Data integration combines satellite imagery, community consultations, and Traditional Owner Knowledge.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Freshness should be verified as the last update is a future date (2026-07-10).

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data_gov_au

Collection Method

Combination of satellite imagery, community consultations facilitated by OzFish and The Nature Conservancy, and Traditional Owner Knowledge.

Time Range

Project period 2024-2026

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 12:36:07.987413

Geography

Northern Australia, specifically Queensland from Mackay to Gladstone region