Slade Rock

Hard coral cover at Slade Island has had notable declines in 2010 and 2017 following tropical cyclones and again in 2020 following the significant regional heat stress event. More recently, however there have been increases to soft and hard corals. Reductions in macroalgae, which occurred alongside the 2020 heat stress event, has largely persisted, potentially providing greater light penetration and substrate for coral growth.

Presence of disease in the inshore coral communities of Mackay and Hay Point has fluctuated over 13 years of monitoring. Severe bleaching, however, has only been recorded alongside the region-wide accumulated sea surface temperature peak in 2020.