Lady Elliot Island Reef Protection Program

Every coral counts – and on Lady Elliot Island, we’re doing everything we can to protect them. While climate change is the biggest threat to coral reefs worldwide, local actions like controlling coral-eating predators and monitoring reef health play a crucial role in boosting reef resilience against global stressors.

Our Reef Protection Program focuses on three key areas:

• Monitoring: Regular reef health surveys – gathering data on coral cover, bleaching, and predator outbreaks to guide management.
• Coral Predator Monitoring and Control: Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) and Drupella snails are native coral predators that can devastate reef systems when their populations explode.
• Minimal Impact Sustainable Tourism and Education: Helping visitors understand reef threats and become active reef stewards.

These actions are helping us safeguard the reef ecosystem right here at Lady Elliot Island, giving corals a better chance to survive and recover in a warming world.

How the Program Works

1. Survey: We conduct regular underwater assessments to monitor coral health and predator numbers.
2. Trigger: If surveys show predator numbers are too high (based on defined thresholds), this activates a response.
3. Respond: Trained divers cull Crown-of-Thorns Starfish and Drupella snails to reduce coral loss and give reefs time to recover.
4. Monitor & Adapt: We record and report data to track success, learn what’s working, and adapt our methods over time.