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AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program: Crown-of-thorns starfish and benthos Manta Tow Data (Great Barrier Reef)

Created 28/09/2025

Updated 28/09/2025

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64 'key' reefs in 11 sectors of the Great Barrier Reef (Cape Grenville, Princess Charlotte Bay, Cooktown/Lizard Island, Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville, Cape Upstart, Whitsunday, Pompey Complex, Swain and Capricorn Bunker) are annually surveyed for crown-of-thorns starfish using the manta tow technique. An additional 117 reefs from the sectors (excluding the Whitsunday, Swain and Capricorn-Bunker sectors) are scheduled for survey every third year ('cycle' reefs). The cycle manta tow reefs take second priority if surveys are unable to be completed because of bad weather and limited ship time. Results of manta tow surveys around the perimeter of reefs assessing populations of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS), Acanthaster cf. solaris. Historical data are held from a number of projects - P. Moran's post-doctoral work, CCEP scheme, COTSAC, COTSREC, LTMP. All data are stored in the Oracle database table RM_MANTA, and data from all but the first listed program are generally consistent and systematic. In the latest and ongoing program - the Long Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) - about 50 reefs throughout the Great Barrier Reef and NW Australia have been sampled. Observations started in January 1982 and are ongoing. For each two-minute manta tow the variables recorded are: Number and size of COTS; Percentage cover of live coral, dead coral, and soft coral; Visibility; Any other observations of note. The ambient variables recorded include, information about the survey (reef name, time, date, data collectors), and the weather conditions:(Wind strength; Cloud cover; Sea state; and Tide). Information is also recorded about the reef environment of each survey (e.g. reef slope, substratum at reef base) and its benthic community (dominant benthic group, dominant hard coral, and dominant coral life form). To assess populations of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS), Acanthaster cf. solaris, on reefs. Coral Reef - Feeding Scar, Crown of Thorns Starfish - Diameter, Crown of Thorns Starfish - Outbreak Status, Percentage Cover, Count - Individuals, Turbidity Number and size of COTS. Size is recorded as follows: J = less than or equal to 5cm, early juvenile, <1 yr; A = 6-15cm Juvenile, 1-2 yrs; B = 15-25cm Sub-Adult, 2-3 yrs; C = >25cm Adult, >3 yrs). If no COTS are seen, then the column is left blank. When several size categories are seen, the category with the most numerous counts is recorded, and a note is made of the other size categories in the 'other' column. Percentage cover of live coral, dead coral, and soft coral. Categories are: 0 = 0%, 1- = 1-5%, 1+ = 5-10%, 2 = 10-30%, 3 = 30-50%, 4 = 50-75%, 5 = 75-100%. Presence of COTS feeding scars: absent (A: 0), present (P: 1-10) or common (C >10). The ambient variables recorded include, information about the survey (reef name, time, date, data collectors), and the weather conditions: Wind strength categories: 1 = 0-5 knots; 2 = 6-10 knots; 3 = 11-15 knots; 4 = 16-20 knots; 5 = 21-25 knots Cloud cover unit of measure is the okta. One okta = one eigth of the sky. Sea State. A modified Beaufort scale describes sea state: Calm = Mirror-like to small ripples; Slight = Small waves, some whitecaps; Moderate = Moderate waves, many whitecaps; Rough = Large waves 2-3 m, whitecaps everywhere, some spray Tide is recorded as low (1.5 hrs either side of Low water), high (1.5 hrs either side of High water), falling (between High and Low water) or rising (between Low and High water), determined from a Tide Table. Data have been used for the e-Atlas: http://e-atlas.org.au/content/large-scale-manta-tow-surveys-densities-crown-thorns-starfish-and-benthic-cover-aims-ltmp

Files and APIs

Additional Info

Field Value
Title AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program: Crown-of-thorns starfish and benthos Manta Tow Data (Great Barrier Reef)
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/26d9370a-6a91-4f0a-a965-5f06d12c969c
Contact Point
Australian Ocean Data Network
reception@aims.gov.au
Reference Period 28/02/2024
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    152.51666666666668,
    -21.925
  ],
  "type": "Point"
}
Data Portal Australian Oceans Data Network

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Australian Oceans Data Network "AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program: Crown-of-thorns starfish and benthos Manta Tow Data (Great Barrier Reef)". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://catalogue.aodn.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/aims-long-term-monitoring-program-crown-of-thorns-starfish-and-benthos-manta-tow-data-great-bar1