Effects of changes in Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning plans on deep shoals off Cairns (MTSRF Project 4.8.2)

A baseline survey of green (no-take) zoned sites and blue (open to fishing) sites in adjacent areas of the northern Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was carried out in December 2006. Three paired sites were surveyed in the Cairns region on deepwater shoals in the vicinity of Green Island and Michaelmas Reef (one green, one blue site off each), and Hastings (Green) and Oyster (blue) Reefs. Assessment of the fish communities was enumerated using baited underwater video sets (BRUVS) and habitat was characterised by towed video. Observations (690) identified 124 species from 33 families, of which 24 species were identified as targeted by fishers. Primary substrate (MudSand; Sand; SandCoarse; SandForams; SandHoles; Rubble; Rock; Bedrock; Reef); epibenthic classes (MacroAlgae; Seagrass; Burrowers; FilterFeeders; HardCoral; Isolates; None); and functional units (algae/invertebrates; corallivore; generalist carnivore; generalist; macrocarnivore; herbivore; invertebrate carnivore; macroinvertebrate; carnivore; piscivore; sponges/invertebrates; zooplanktivore) were recorded.Habitat mapping features assessed from towed video:Individual organisms: Anemone; Ascidian; Bryozoan; Crinoid; Gastropod; Holothurian; Hydroid; Icelet; Solitary Hard Coral; Solitary Soft Coral; Starfish; UrchinSubstrate: No Sediment; Soft Mud; Silt - Sandy mud; Sand; Coarse Sand; Sand Rubble Forams; Rubble, 5-50mm; Stones, 50-250mm; Rocks, > 250mm; ReefBenthic class: Seagrass (Sparse, Medium, Dense); Algae (Sparse, Medium, Dense); Whip Garden (Sparse, Medium, Dense); Gorgonian Garden (Sparse, Medium, Dense); Porifera (Sponge) Garden (Sparse, Medium, Dense); Hard Coral Garden (Flowerpots - Sparse, Medium, Dense); Live Reef Corals; Caulerpa; Halimeda; Bivalve Shell Beds; Tube Polychaete Beds; Burrowing Animals (Bioturbated Mud); Flora; null. To describe the fish fauna in relation to habitat and spatial and temporal variables on selected deep shoals of the GBRMP.To present baseline fish community data from BRUVS surveys of three pairs of 'blue' (open to fishing) and 'green' (closed to fishing) zoned shoals in the GBRMP. This is one component in a series of surveys conducted as part of this MTSRF project, see also separate metadata records on:Southern mid-shelf Shoals (East and West Warregos; Karamea and Barcoo Banks)Reef base shoals (Capricorn-Bunker, Pompey and Swains Groups) Shoals off Cardwell Magnetic Shoals (Townsville)Note that the 'Northern Shoals' of Cardwell, Cairns, and Magnetic Shoals have individual records as each region was analysed separately.Fish from the following taxonomic classes were recorded (note that not all species/families were recorded at all locations):Anguilliformes: Muraenidae (moray eels)Aulopiformes: Synodontidae (lizardfishes)Beryciformes: Holocentridae (squirrelfishes)Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae (whaler sharks); Sphyrnidae (hammerhead sharks)Gasterosteiformes: Aulostomidae (trumpetfishes); Fistulariidae (flutemouths)Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae (stingrays); Rajiformes: Rhinidae (shark rays); Stegostomatidae (leopard sharks)Orectolobiformes: Ginglymostomatidae (nurse sharks); Hemiscylliidae (catsharks); Myliobatidae (manta and eagle rays)Perciformes: Acanthuridae (surgeon-fishes); Apogonidae (cardinal fishes); Blenniidae (blennies); Caesionidae (fusiliers); Carangidae (trevallies); Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes); Cheilodactylidae (morwongs); Echeneidae (suckerfishes); Ephippidae (batfishes); Haemulidae (sweetlips); Kyphosidae (drummers); Labridae (wrasses and tuskfish); Lethrinidae (sweetlip emperors); Lutjanidae (snappers and sea perches); Malacanthidae (tilefishes); Mullidae (goatfishes); Nemipteridae (threadfin bream); Pinguipedidae (grubfishes); Pomacanthidae (angelfishes); Pomacentridae (damselfishes); Rachycentridae (cobias); Scaridae (parrotfishes); Scombridae (mackerels and tunas); Serranidae (groupers and coral cods); Siganidae (rabbitfishes); Sparidae (sea breams); Sphyraenidae (barracudas); Zanclidae (Moorish idols)Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae (scorpionfish and lionfish)Squamata: Hydrophiidae (sea snakes)Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae (triggerfishes); Monacanthidae (filefishes and leatherjackets); Tetraodontidae (pufferfish).While not part of the designated objectives, fish size can be delineated from the stereo BRUVs tapes.