Improved knowledge of Torres Strait seabed biota and habitats - Reef Characterisation (1995 - 2005)

CMAR has conducted a number of stock assessment surveys for finfish, beche-de-mer and trochus on the reefs of Torres Strait. During the course of the suveys, habitat data was also collected albeit at a coarser level of taxonomic resolution. The primary objective of this study was to characterise the reefs of Torres Strait in terms of the biological and habitat data collected during these surveys and to relate the nature of the reefs to the available physical data. Information collated for this study included comprehensive datasets on reef fish, beche-de-mer and seagrass; most of which was identified to species level. Information on corals and algae was based on visual estimates of percentage cover morphotypes. Little data on the other reef biota was collected. SOURCE_DATASET CRUISE_ID CRUISE_NAME CRUISE_YEAR RRI1 HE01 Reef Resource Inventory HE01 1995 RRI2 HE02 Reef Resource Inventory HE02 1995 WR95 WRS Warrior survey 1995 1995 RRI3 JK01 Reef Resource Inventory JK01 1996 RRI4 JK02 Reef Resource Inventory JK02 1996 WR96 WRS Warrior survey 1996 1996 WR98 WRS Warrior survey 1998 1998 WR00 WRS Warrior survey 2000 2000 ETS2 ETS2 East Torres Strait 2002 2002 WE02 WRS Warrior survey 2002 2002 WR04 WRS Warrior survey 2004 2004 ETS5 ETS5 East Torres Strait 2005 2005