Reef health update | 5 February 2026

Sea surface temperatures remain stable across the Marine Park and are only slightly above average for this time of year.

Above-average rainfall fell across all Marine Park catchments in January, with the most rain falling in the Cape York region. Water quality monitoring is ongoing to understand how these conditions may affect nearby reefs.

Summer is also a busy time for Reef wildlife. From late January through April, thousands of baby turtles are hatching and making their way to the Marine Park, with many nesting beaches and islands seeing regular activity, especially at dawn and dusk. Seabird breeding is also underway, with many species nesting on islands and feeding across the Reef during February.

Temperature

In the Far Northern region, temperatures are around 0.1°C above the long-term monthly average. The Northern, Central and Southern regions remain 0.4–0.7°C above average.

Overall, temperatures are lower than earlier in summer but still a little warmer than usual for this time of year.

Rainfall

Between 26 January and 1 February 2026, the highest recorded rainfall occurred in the Wet Tropics with some days exceeding 200mm.

With catchments already saturated, further rainfall increases the likelihood of freshwater and sediment runoff entering the Marine Park. Current forecasts indicate a high chance of continued rainfall in the coming week.

Reef health

Recent monitoring shows limited impacts from coral bleaching. Between 26 January and 1 February, 143 Reef Health Impact Surveys were completed across 14 reefs in the Marine Park, with 12 of the 14 reefs showing no or only limited coral bleaching impacts.

On the two reefs where bleaching was recorded:

• One reef in the Northern region recorded low levels of bleaching (1–10%).
• One reef in the Southern region recorded higher bleaching levels (31–60%), which is being closely monitored.

Additional observations from Eye on the Reef monitoring programs reported coral bleaching on 13 of the 20 reefs surveyed. These reports indicate that impacts remain localised, rather than widespread, at this stage of summer.

Crown-of-thorns starfish control

Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) outbreaks continue across the Marine Park, with the most severe outbreaks in the Southern region (Swain Reefs) and the Northern region between Cairns and Lizard Island. Specialised dive teams are working across targeted reefs to survey and cull these predatory starfish.

Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) management continues to deliver strong coral protection outcomes. Since July, COTS control teams have surveyed or treated 153 reefs across the Marine Park:

• 61 reefs (around 40% of those surveyed) now have COTS at sustainable levels, supporting coral growth and recovery.
• 57 reefs (around 37%) are under active culling to suppress outbreaks and protect coral.
• COTS have been detected on 35 reefs (around 23%), with control planned as resources allow.