It’s easy to complain that Government policies about the marine environment are not based on the best science, but providing the scientific information needed to back large-scale decisions is not so easy. Associate Professor Rick Stuart-Smith will take us from the high-tech world of dive-based surveys on tropical and temperate reefs through to measuring progress towards conservation targets. Get an underwater perspective on the process of documenting marine life at national and global scales, and the very different challenges of using the data to inform management and policy.