The Social and Economic Long Term Monitoring Programme (SELTMP) for the Great Barrier Reef is the result of a massive regional level initiative funded by the National Environment Programme (NERP), CSIRO Wealth from Oceans, James Cook University and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. We have worked with strategic and technical advisors across state and federal government as well as with traditional owners, private industry, community, non-government organisations and from within the research fraternity.