Vision:

To raise awareness of the value of coral reefs, and empower local communities to participate in the conservation and management of coral reefs in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.

Mission:

To ensure a sustainable future for the Australian and Indo-Pacific region’s coral reef ecosystems by

1. Promoting sustainable use of coral reefs through partnerships with governments, researchers, businesses and community groups. 
2. Raising public awareness of the economic, ecological and social value of coral reefs.
3. Identifying simple actions that the general public can take to minimize global threats to coral reefs.
4. Developing tools and skills with local community members and volunteers to participate in coral reef health monitoring, conservation and management.
5. Establishing a coral reef health database for Australia and the Indo-Pacific that is integrated into the global Reef Check network.

Our aims and achievements

• Increased monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef and other Australian coral reefs.

We survey reefs as far north as Lizard Island and south to the Capricorn bunker group off Bundaberg on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as out in the Coral Sea. We aim to increase the number of sites we survey and continue to monitor all sites annually. We also plan to charter vessels to take us to other parts of the Reef beyond commercial dive locations.

• Create partnerships between the public and private sector to strengthen marine management initiatives.

We have begun to involve local communities, schools, businesses, universities and government departments in working together to save the Reef.

• Boost Queensland’s Dive Industry by providing important and fun community training in coral reef ecology, conservation and monitoring, as well as involving recreational divers in collecting information on coral reef health.

Divers who participate in Reef Check tell us that it has made their diving experiences better than ever.

• Teach stakeholders how to communicate with managers.

Anecdotal reports of reef degradation are common from long-time divers, but it is difficult for managers to use subjective descriptions. Reef Check trains people to collect scientific information on coral reef health that managers, like the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, can use. The continuation of Reef Check into the long-term will provide managers with information on how our reefs are changing over time.

• Increase stewardship of our coral reefs through public participation in monitoring.

Divers care about coral reefs and love to participate in activities that aid their conservation. We continually receive emails from divers wanting to participate in Reef Check. We aim to tap into this public interest by increasing our activities and training opportunities.

• World leading development of Reef Check training courses and materials.

Reef Check course training materials have been adapted for use internationally.

• Student training opportunities through our ‘train the trainer’ program.
  

We have begun to train marine science students to become Reef Check trainers. These students will have enhanced employment opportunities and help Reef Check to expand by training and leading more volunteer divers.

• Capacity Building by Reef Check in Indo-Pacific communities.

We have assisted the Vanuatu Department of Fisheries and Efaté Scuba Association by training local community members to monitor their local reefs.

• Enhance reporting of our results to the public.

We have developed a partnership with the CRC Reef Research Centre / Australian Institute of Marine Science Reef Futures project (www.reeffutures.org) where our reef monitoring results will be available on-line.

• Real results and findings reported globally by Reef Check International scientific teams.
  

Reef Check released its five-year report in August 2002, ‘The Global Coral Reef Crisis – Trends and Solutions’ at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. Reef Check also reports findings in the biannual ‘Status of Coral Reefs of the World’ report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.

• International awards for our achievements, standards and operations.
  

Reef Check has received numerous international environmental awards for its work including the Global Environmental Prize from CMAS, the World Underwater Federation in January 2000, the Chevron Award in August 2001 and the NOAA Environmental Award in December 2001.