Assessing the effects of changes in Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning plans on southern mid-shelf shoals using towed video (Towvid) (MTSRF Project 4.8.2)

Towed video (Towvid) surveys were undertaken in February/March 2007 and August/September 2007 on two pairs of discrete deepwater shoals in the mid-shelf section of the southern Great Barrier Reef. Within each pair, one shoal was from a 'green zone' (closed to all fishing) and the other from a 'blue zone' (open to fishing), based on the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, carried out in 2004. The pairs of reefs chosen were: East Warregos (green) and West Warregos (blue); Barcoo Bank (green) and Karamea Bank (blue).

A lightweight towed video system developed by AIMS was used to survey seabed habitats on and around the four shoal sites. The camera was deployed and towed from the stern of RV Cape Ferguson while maintaining a speed of approximately two to three knots. During camera deployment an observer used custom software developed for use with the towed video system to conduct a real-time seabed classification based on biotic and abiotic habitat components. The classification data was logged simultaneously with GPS position, depth sounder data and time. The resultant habitat observations were thus geo-referenced for later spatial analysis.