Workshop on reef fish assessment and monitoring, held at Heron Island 18-28 November 1978

Abstract

The Great Barrier Beef Region contains some 2,000 species of fishes. Most of these are not unique to the region but represent approximately two-thirds of the entire fish fauna of the Indo-Pacific. The Authority considers that the single most important impact in the Great Barrier Reef Region is the effect of fishing (both recreational and commercial) and that one of the most important recreational activities for reef visitors is 'fish watching'. In view of the historical evidence in other.areas of the Indo-Pacific, the Authority is concerned with managing the Great Barrier Beef's resources and minimising the impact of man's activities.