Reef Life Survey site locations

Reef Life Survey (RLS) is a collaboration between marine scientists, management agencies and recreational SCUBA divers to record the marine life on coral and rocky reefs worldwide. The not-for-profit Australian-based organisation aims to provide data and information to marine managers to aid in effective management of the marine environment, as well as to marine scientists to answer new questions about these important ecosystems and how they are changing. Detailed surveys are conducted regularly by trained volunteer divers using a set of standardised visual census methods, generating a long-term dataset of reef biodiversity across the globe. Since its inception in 2006, RLS has recorded over 4500 species, at over 7000 sites, and these numbers continue to grow.

Reef Life Survey conducts numerous surveys within the shallow-water regions of Australian Marine Parks, and these are shown in the map above. Many of these surveys are in locations where little other data on biodiversity exists, and the information is a valuable resource for conservation and adaptive management programs. Parks Australia managers rely on many such partnerships with scientific research organisations to help manage the Marine Parks.