Every year the Great Barrier Reef Marine Monitoring Program (MMP) assesses the condition of water quality within the inshore Reef, and surveys coral and seagrass habitats to determine how they are responding to a range of pressures. This Overview synthesises their condition throughout 2019-20, and describes trends since 2005.

This assessment of bleaching at multiple reefs in four management areas of the Great Barrier Reef confirms a mass bleaching event, the fourth since 2016 and despite La Niña conditions.

The interactive Science and Knowledge Needs web-tool has just been launched.The web-tool provides a searchable inventory of priority science and knowledge gaps needed to strengthen the management and protection of the Great Barrier Reef. The web-tool provides an invaluable resource for researchers, partners and managers to identify and direct effort to where it is most needed.

Douglas Shire’s Community Sustainability Initiative, “Fish for the Future” seeks to support the community’s vision for an abundant and resilient local fishery cared for by the community.

In recent weeks, AIMS, the Joint Field Management Program and COTS Control Program monitoring have confirmed an increasing abundance of adult and juvenile COTS on several northern region reefs between Cairns and Lizard Island.