In 2019, NQBP began its partnership with James Cook University and Reef Catchments in the Whitsunday Blueprint for Tourism Operators water quality monitoring program.
The program expands NQBP and JCU's TropWATER water quality program into the Whitsundays, whereby data from the program will help to shed light on water quality and reef health in the Whitsundays. It also includes training for tour operators in how water samples are collected from loggers they will visit regularly.
Tourism operators in the Whitsundays have been collecting data in this citizen science project to keep track of the water quality in their area. This project extends on existing marine monitoring programs in the Whitsundays by collecting data at two of the key tourism locations in the area.