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