The Coral Index score in the Fitzroy region remains poor having declined since 2020. This decline interrupts the improvement in scores between 2014 and 2020.
Across the region only the coral cover indicator was in the ‘moderate’ range. Most influential in the recent decline in the Coral Index have been reduced scores for the juvenile coral indicator, with the density of juvenile hard corals declining at most reefs and both 2 m and 5 m depths. Scores for the cover change indicator also declined and remain poor at the regional level. For comparability in the Coral Index scores across the time series, annual scores include carried forward scores for Peak Island, which was last surveyed in 2019. As such, the probability of changes in Coral Index and indicator scores will be buffered as there is no change possible for this reef.
In 2021 scores for the macroalgae indicator remain in the very poor range. It is only at 2 m depths at Barren Island that there is not a high proportion on macroalgae amongst the benthic algal community. Neither the juvenile coral, composition, or cover change indicator scores in 2021 varied predictably along water quality gradients.

Overall, the seagrass condition score for the Fitzroy region reduced from moderate to poor in 2020-21. Both indicators declined, both scoring poorly.
Seagrass abundance declined at half of the sites across the Fitzroy region in 2020-21, with the remaining sites marginally increasing relative to the previous period. Abundances remain very low at the reef intertidal sites, with little variability among years except in the degree of fragmentation as shown by the seagrass extent. In Shoalwater Bay, the coastal sites varied with increases at one site offset by decreases at the other. The long-term trend in the seagrass abundance score across the region is largely unchanged over the past few years.
Overall resilience in the Fitzroy region was poor but varied among habitats. Reproductive effort remains well below historical peaks for all habitats in the region. However, the consistent presence of some reproductive structures, albeit low, and a persistent seed bank in both coastal and estuarine habitats indicates some resilience and capacity to recover from any future events. Of concern is that reproductive effort at reef sites remains very low and no seed bank is present, limiting the meadows capacity to recover.
Inshore seagrass meadows across the region continue to remain in the early stages of recovering from multiple years of climate related impacts. The estuarine habitats had been improving until this year, while other habitats demonstrate a legacy of reduced resilience.

The annual condition WQ Index scored water quality as ‘good’ for the 2020–21 water year, the first year for which it is possible to calculate this Index. This version of the Index scores water quality parameters against GVs relevant to the season when samples are collected (wet versus dry GVs) and includes additional sites in the open coastal water body to better characterise areas affected by river discharge. River discharge was below average in this focus region this year, which likely contributed to a ‘good’ annual condition score. The discharge and loads calculated for the 2020-21 water year from the Fitzroy River was well below the long-term median levels.
The WQ Index is divided into three categories: Water Clarity which includes Turbidity, Secchi Depth and Total Suspended Solids (TSS); Productivity which includes Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx); and Particulate Nutrients which includes Particulate Nitrogen (PN) and Particulate Phosphorus (PP).
During the 2020-21 water year, concentrations of NOx and Secchi depth exceeded guideline values (did not meet). PN met guidelines at all sites and Chl-a met guidelines values at all sites except Peak West.
Discharge in 2021–22 was slightly greater than that seen in 2020–21 (the lowest discharge year in the previous decade).