Underlying question: Is there a body of evidence to demonstrate that the use of remote sensing for mapping and monitoring a particular coastal-marine environmental variable is 'operational'?

In this context, 'operational' refers to an application based on commercially available image data and software being used in a procedure that has been clearly documented and demonstrated through peer-review publication to be accurate within a specific coastal environment.

The terms 'operational', 'feasible' and 'not possible' have been used frequently in literature that has assessed remote sensing’s suitability for monitoring specific environmental indicators. We have identified 'operational' and 'feasible' applications to ensure full capabilities of remote sensing are considered. Operational applications are those that have been clearly demonstrated to work accurately from commercially available image data and standard image processing systems, and are delivering data at the required resolution. Feasible applications are those that have been shown to work with experimental image data sets or over limited areas with very small pixels or global scales with large pixels.

The following table is the first step in this process. Examples are presented below the table for each parameter from CRC case studies. For the 'operational' indicators Section 5 will explain how to go about using remote sensing, down to specifics and costs.

Table: Download here ( 124KB)

Examples

A number of local, national and international monitoring and management programs have built successful monitoring and management programs for coastal environments around sets of select indicators. The following list represents recognised coastal ecosystem status indicators and an established monitoring and management program using that indicator:

• Water quality parameters – Moreton Bay Ecological Health and Monitoring Program (Dennison and Abal 1999); Algal bloom characteristics – Moreton Bay Lyngbya Task force (Roelfsema et al., 2001);
• Seagrass and benthic substrate community attributes – NOAA - Coastwatch; and
• Coral reef attributes – Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (Wilkinson 2000).
  

References

Dennison, W. C. and E. G. Abal (1999). Moreton Bay Study: A Scientific Basis for the Healthy Waterways Program. Brisbane, South East Queensland Water Quality Management Strategy/Brisbane City Council.

Roelfsema, C., S. Phinn, W. C. Dennison, A. Dekker and V. Brando (2001). Mapping Lyngbya majuscula blooms in Moreton Bay. Proceedings of the International Geosciences and Remote Sensing Symposium, Sydney, Australia, IEEE-Piscataway NY, USA.

Wilkinson, C. (2000). Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000. Townsville, Australian Institute of Marine Science.