The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is collaborating with Pacific Island nations to boost coral reef monitoring by integrating scientific methods with artificial intelligence (AI).
Most coastal communities in the Pacific depend on the ocean for nutrition and livelihoods. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of these resources requires effective management of habitats, such as coral reefs, and sustainable fishing practices.
ReefCloud , an open-source AI-powered coral reef monitoring platform, developed by AIMS, enables more effective and efficient coral reef monitoring.
It has automated reporting features that help researchers and conservation practitioners inform policymakers and local decision-makers of important scientific findings.
ReefCloud is integrating additional reporting tools - such as those incorporating fish population data - to broaden ecological insights.
AIMS Research Team Leader Dr Manuel Gonzalez Rivero said remote Pacific reef systems made regular monitoring difficult. Limited monitoring resources and capacity meant a streamlined and efficient delivery of science was vital for timely reef management.
With the support of the Australian Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Dr Gonzalez Rivero and his team have been working on the ReefCloud Pacific Program with representatives from Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia.
"We want to better understand their monitoring challenges and explore how tools developed and used in Australia can be shared and adapted to strengthen reef monitoring across the Pacific," he said.
"Standardising data across nations and regions is also an important goal to develop a common understanding on the status and trends of coral reefs at management scales."
Sea Women of Melanesia director Naomi Longa said by using the AIMS tools to survey a crown-of-thorns starfish outbreak, she was able to provide the Papua New Guinea Government with findings on the impact on coral reefs within 48 hours.
Dr Gonzalez Rivero said the AIMS team was also seeking a better understanding of the needs of practitioners in the community-based management programs.
In addition to hosting a Pacific regional workshop to share progress, AIMS recently held a workshop with regional experts on supporting community-based management of coral reefs and a 'training of trainers' program on coral reef monitoring.
AIMS ecologist Yashika Nand said 10 emerging leaders in reef monitoring participated in the training program which equipped them with the knowledge and skills to train others to use ReefCloud for monitoring.
"It covered everything to do with reef monitoring, starting with designing a monitoring plan to data collection and analysis," she said.
"We helped the trainers develop a deeper understanding of using AI in coral reef science, and in interpreting and communicating results to drive meaningful change in management strategies."
If successful, the AIMS team hopes to replicate the training program in 2026.
Participant Alifereti Tawake from the Locally Managed Marine Areas network said the tools would greatly improve monitoring efficiency.
"I'm excited to trial some of ReefCloud's latest tools with our communities and share feedback to make them even better," he said.
Ms Juney Ward, Coastal and Marine Advisor from The Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), said: "it's an important opportunity to work with AIMS to deliver actionable science, deepen understanding of coral reef resources, and enhance management efforts across the Pacific."
Supporting more effective monitoring of marine environments contributes to resource management aligned with the Pacific Coral Reef Action Plan 2021-2030 and the ReefCloud Pacific Program.
