Benthic surveys of the Swain Reefs, southern Great Barrier Reef (1977)

Surveys were conducted in the Swain Reefs region in October, 1977.

Reefs were surveyed using the "spot check" method. This involves making spot checks every few hundred metres around the perimeter of each reef visited. Using a face mask, the observer leans over the side of the dinghy and views the reef for a period of one minute. During this time the dinghy is moved slowly along the reef edge for a distance of up to 50m, allowing an area of reef slope of several hundred square metres to be inspected down to the limit of visibility, generally 10-15m.

Four categories of starfish abundance were used: 0, 1, 2-10, and more than l0 individuals per spot check. Total counts were also recoreded.

Reefs inculuded in the survey were Hook, Sanctuary, Horseshoe, Chinamans, Wade, Beacon, Hill, Heartm Triangle, Blu Lion, Jenkins, Littles, Central, Gannet Cay, Pike, Banana Cay, Emporer, Price Cay, Turtle, Frigate Cay, Bacchi Cay, Thomas Cay, Distant Cay, and many unnamed reefs in the region.