Tourism operators have their Eye on the Reef
REEF HEALTH
TOURISM operators continue to show significant interest in the Eye on the Reef program with this month’s training sessions recording some of the highest participation rates in recent history.
Training sessions were held in early May at Cairns and Port Douglas, and later in the month at Whitsundays.
Since 2009, trained operators and their crews have submitted thousands of surveys and information on reef health through the monitoring program run by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Marine Park Authority assistant director tourism and education, Fiona Merida, said the workshops and in-water training sessions attracted some 100 crew members representing more than 20 different tourism operators.
“Training registrations exceeded all expectations and it was amazing to see so many tourism staff committed to helping protect the Reef,” said Ms Merida.
“Trainees learned how they can contribute to reef management and help inform the state of the reef reports. They performed practical, in-water surveys where they identified health conditions on the reef and recorded their observations.”
Ms Merida said an indication of what they had came from completing surveys as part of their day-to-day duties on the Reef.
“Once the tourism operators get back on the water, they will provide valuable, quick and efficient weekly surveys to build an early warning and trend record of health at adopted dive sites.
“These weekly surveys are just one of several monitoring and reporting methods delivered through the Eye on the Reef program, which also involves marine scientists and rangers.
“We hope they will add to their skills by learning other survey methods undertaken through the Eye on the Reef program,” said Merida.
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