Sweatman, 1996:

"For many tourists, observing schools of fish is an important part of the day's visit, whether it be watching the fish naturally in the water while snorkelling or diving or controlled feeding activity from the boat or pontoon.

There is no evidence that the formation of fish aggregations at pontoons due to fish feeding causes any measurable depletion from local populations. The impact is inconsequential as aggregations occur naturally, so in the case of aggregations at a pontoon it is only the particular location that is influenced by human impact.

Fish feeding has at most a very limited impact on the populations of fishes or their prey at reef pontoons." 

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Citation and/or URL

Sweatman, Hugh P.A. (1996). Impact of tourist pontoons on fish assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef. CRC Reef Research Centre Technical Report No. 5. CRC Reef Research Centre, Townsville. 

Spatial Coverage

Kelso Reef and Agincort Reef

Temporal Coverage

1994 to 1996

Update Frequency

Not applicable

Other Information

None