Title

Monitoring compliance and vessel use in the Hinchinbrook Dugong Protection Area

Objectives

1. To monitor compliance of voluntary transit lanes in the Hinchinbrook Dugong Protection Area.
2. To monitor vessel traffic (type and number) in the Hinchinbrook channel.

Relevance

As per the Cardwell/Hinchinbrook Region Plan of Management, a series of voluntary vessel transit lanes and go slow areas will be introduced within the Hinchinbrook Dugong Protection Area. These measures are designed to minimise the impact on dugong and seagrass areas.

As use of the lanes will be voluntary a program is needed to monitor compliance of vessels to transit lanes in the Hinchinbrook Dugong Protection Area.

Feasibility

Since 1997 the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has trialed the use of time-lapse video equipment to estimate the type and number of boats around the Oyster Point area south of Cardwell. This video surveillance technique has proved very successful as a low cost, accurate method for quantifying and establishing patterns of vessel use in small areas. This technique is easily adapted to monitor compliance to vessel traffic lanes in the Cardwell/ Hinchinbrook Region Plan of Management because one or more video cameras can be set up on navigation markers which are proposed to be installed as part of the Plan (see map).

Methodology

The video equipment has been purpose designed and built and will be used to take periodic 'snapshots' of the target area. At pre-determined or random times each day the camera will take short sequences of video. This will allow for a reasonably frequent sample of vessel movement in the area along with a sample long enough for an analyst to identify the type and size of the vessel and whether or not the vessel is using the transit lane. Data are stored on video tapes which are changed on a regular basis and this will be carried out by staff of the Cardwell Department of Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS).

Currently a video camera sits on the jetty at Cardwell. It is proposed that this camera be moved from the jetty to site 1 in Missionary Bay (see map, page 49). This camera will be situated on a pylon which marks a transit lane turn point and will face north-west along the transit lane. Calibrated marks in front of the camera lens and Garden Island in the distance will provide a reference for determining adherence to vessel traffic lanes. A second high quality, digital camera will be purchased. This camera will be mounted on another pylon which marks a turn point (site 2 on map) and will face east along the transit lane or north-east towards Garden Island.

A third camera is to be installed on the Telstra tower at Cardwell. This camera will provide a panoramic view of the Hinchinbrook Channel (site 3) and monitor vessel numbers in the area.

Cameras at sites 1 and 3 will record onto 90-minute tapes. However, it is proposed that the new camera (site 2) will relay digital still images, via a VHF radio, to a computer at the Cardwell office of QPWS. These images will be recorded in real-time and will allow staff to respond immediately to infringements if required. At regular intervals these images will be collated and forwarded to GBRMPA for analysis. Subject to a successful trial of the digital still camera, the video camera at site 1 can be changed to a similar system at a later date.

Approximate cost

As this project will be managed by GBRMPA with field assistance provided by the QPWS the cost is minimal. The time-lapse video cameras for sites 1 and 3 have been built and trialed and remain to be deployed. There will be an initial cost of purchasing an additional camera for site 2 (approx. $7000).

The project will also involve an analysis of the tapes and report write-up on an annual basis. Each 90-minute tape generally takes two hours to analyse and each camera will record 12 tapes per year (approx. 72 hours of analysis time per year) — estimate $3000 per annum for analysis and progress reporting.

Time required

This project will be ongoing.

Figure 1: Cardwell/Hinchinbrook Transit Lane Locations and Monitoring Sites