Reef fish monitoring underway
NT Fisheries recently completed reef fish surveys at Lorna Shoals and Charles Point using baited underwater video systems to compare fish populations inside and outside reef fish protection areas.
- Lorna Shoals: 18 deployments
- Charles Point: 12 deployments
Analysis of the 2026 survey data is currently underway, helping us better understand and manage NT reef fish populations.
Want to see what we found previously? The 2025 Reef Fish Protection Area Monitoring Report is now available from the Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations PDF (5.8 MB).
Monitoring Reef Fish Protection Areas (RFPAs) is a long-term Fisheries project that helps track the health of fish populations in protected and unprotected waters. For more than a decade, Fisheries has used Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) to independently compare fish communities inside and outside RFPAs across the run-off, dry and build-up seasons.
During the July to September period, Fisheries conducted BRUVS surveys at Lorna Shoals and Charles Point, deploying a total of 30 underwater camera stations. These surveys provide valuable information on the abundance and diversity of reef fish and help Fisheries assess the effectiveness of RFPAs over time.
The 2025 Reef Fish Protection Area Monitoring Report was finalised in September 2026. Analysis of data collected during the 2026 surveys is now underway, with the next monitoring report expected to be released in mid-2027.
Did you know? BRUVS use underwater cameras and bait to attract and record fish species, providing a non-invasive way to monitor marine environments and track changes in fish populations over time.
For more information about the monitoring and benefits of RFPAs check out this fact sheet PDF (560.6 KB).
Senior Research Technician Wayne Baldwin, captain of Malara
