Inshore

The inshore marine health of the Wet Tropics is assessed on water quality, coral and seagrass. It is intended that a marine fish index will be developed in the future to contribute towards the assessment of waterway health for the inshore zones.
There are four inshore marine reporting zones, North, Central, South, and Palm Island.
For 2023-24 the overall grades for inshore zones were all ‘moderate’.

Compared to the previous reporting period (2022-23):

• The score for the North zone decreased from 66 to 59 and the grade declined from ‘good’ to ‘moderate’.
• The score for the Central zone decreased from 63 to 54 and the grade declined from ‘good’ to ‘moderate’.
• The score for the South zone decreased from 55 to 47 and the grade remained ‘moderate’.
• The score for the Palm Island zone decreased from 61 to 57 and the grade declined from ‘good’ to ‘moderate’.

The inshore zones of the Wet Tropics region were affected by multiple impacts during 2023-24.

• Tropical Cyclone Jasper tracked west across the Coral Sea and made landfall in the north of the region on 13th December 2023 as a category 2 cyclone.
• Tropical Cyclone Kirrily passed slightly south of the Wet Tropics region as it tracked west across the Coral Sea making landfall north of Townsville as a category 1 cyclone on 25th January 2024
• Annual river discharge greatly exceeded the long term means in the north of the Region (Daintree and Barron rivers) whilst most rivers to the south had discharge substantially higher than long-term means.
• During 2023-24 the Wet Tropics region experienced a severe marine heat wave which resulted in coral bleaching and coral cover loss.