Draw-pi and QLD Coastal Marine Parks

[redog]

Ahoy OpenCPNers with an interest in the QLD coastline of Australia.


The Australian Hydrographic Charts do not show the different fishing zones along the QLD coast, for the relevant marine parks.


So, I have uploaded the GPS coordinates provided by the QLD Government into the Draw plugin and created .gpx files of each coloured zone. These zones are named following the convention in the Marine Parks handouts. Each group of zones relate to the latitude of the first waypoint of the zone, ie GBRMP-11-**** are Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks in the area between Lat 11 and Lat 12.


My intention personally is to load these into ODraw as a persistent layer which gives the ability to toggle on/off. From here you can click the list contents button and the zones are then listed in the Paths tab and the texts are listed in the OD Points tab. The text files were only created to identify the zones and probably not needed as each zone carries its name in the description.


Some of these zones follow the low tide mark along coast lines and I have tried to represent this as best as possible.


Jon Gough has advanced ODraw considerably and I recommend anyone interested upgrade to the latest version available, I have been using 1.6.80 but Jon would be the go-to for finding your best options. Also visit the Draw manual which is very in depth with good screen shots.


Some slower computers may struggle with displaying the full zones so each can be broken into smaller groups or folders.


Also, colours can be changed easily by editing the files with a text editor and reassigning the RBG values to suit your needs. I have put the green zone up on my github as green or red in colour, as I found night vision hard to see the green. I have also included red and green with text points for naming convention, but this is probably unnecessary as the text just looks like a black patch when zoomed out, it was more of an exercise and also for identifying which zone you are in at the time.



Github is new to me so if anyone has suggestions on how to present this to the masses better please give me some direction.

These are not yet all available but the naming convention below is how I intend to display the .gpx files.
Also any help from the “O” community on linking users to this project would be much appreciated.


Have a look here:
https://github.com/redog666/qld-coastal-zones



Activities Guide is what is allowed in each zone colour.
GBRMP = Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GREEN)
GBRHP = Great Barrier Reef Habitat Protection (BLUE)
GBRCZ = Great Barrier Reef Conservation Zone (YELLOW)
GBRBZ = Great Barrier Reef Buffer Zone (OLIVE)
GBRSR = Great Barrier Reef Scientific Research (ORANGE)
GBRPZ = Great Barrier Reef Preservation Zone (PINK)
GSMP = Great Sandy Marine Park
MBMP = Moreton Bay Marine Park (GREEN)
MBCP = Moreton Bay Conservation Park (YELLOW)
MBHP = Moreton Bay Habitat Protection (BLUE)
Cheers Dave
p { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; color: #000000; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2 } p.western { font-family: "Calibri", serif; font-size: 11pt; so-language: en-AU } p.cjk { font-family: "Calibri"; font-size: 11pt; so-language: en-US } p.ctl { font-family: ; font-size: 11pt; so-language: ar-SA } a:link { so-language: zxx }

[bcn]

Redog..


we would be happy to create a link to this resource at o-charts on the Australian chart set page.Including a short description.

It would be possible to host the OD objects as well, if you prefer.


Do you have perhaps some screen shots to visualize your work?


Hubert

[redog]

bcn


Thanks for the offer of hosting.
My main concern here would be multiple sets of data to update if changes are made in these zones.
Having said that, the parks were created in 2003 and in 17 years Aus charts have never had these zones, so I doubt changes are in the wind.


So Yes please list these files as you see fit. Let me know what you need me to do.


Screen shots no worries, how I display them here! well here goes

First I load persistent layer from .gpx file
Here you see the QLD coast with the green zones with text and blue and olive no text.

Screenshot with text.jpg

Next click the Hide Point Names, text names disappear, however you still see the points circles.

Screenshot without text.jpg

While still in the layer tab click List Contents, all of the zones from the highlighted Layer or Layers will now be displayed in the Paths tab and if the file contains text points, as the green zones do, these are now displayed in the OD Points tab.
Next click the OD Points tab, here each can be turned on/off individually.
This is the text part and probably could be deleted as names don't influence the legal requirements of a person, its the colour of the zone that determines these legalities.

Here is where people could save smaller groups or split up to suit area of interest, using the export buttons. (Export All Visible or Export selected)

Screenshot OD Points.jpg

Next click the Paths tab, here each can be turned on/off individually.
These are the zones and again,
Here is where people could save smaller groups or split up to suit area of interest.

Screenshot Paths.jpg

Hope I haven't deviated from the manual with my instructions, but again if in doubt read the Draw-pi section of the manual.


Cheers Dave

[Karanga]

Hi Redog
An excellent thing to accomplish. Thank you.
I will be watching with interest, and hopefully downloading once it becomes available.
By the way, most of the zones are actually shown in the OZ vector charts and visible on OpenCPN, although you wouldn't really know what many of those purple lines are, until you match them up with the Marine Parks' Eye on the Reef smartphone app.
Tim

[Karanga]

As a follow up to above...
I use the Eye on the Reef all the time, to pick out the different zones. For those cruising the GBR and don't know about this app, I recommend that you check it out.
Most of these zones are shapes that do not fit geographical features and it is therefore rather difficult to identify exact boundaries.
It is good to be able to see precisely where I am in relation to an upcoming boundary, especially when I have a line or two trolling out the back.
I have heard that some boats have been fined after spotter planes high up caught them crossing even just the corner of a zone, still with their lines out.
Tim

[RaymondR]

It would have helped a lot if they had done their original definition of zones using graticular coordinates.

[rgleason]

Dave, I think your descrption of the outlines should be hosted in the manual, undet ODraw with a link back to charts and resources. I dont think this would conflict with Hubert's offer at o-chartd.

Can I make you an editor and set you up with a fresh page in the manual? PM me with your email.. rgleason

[redog]

Karanga


Thanks for the info on the app, I assumed there would be apps etc out there and unfortunately the one you mention has only got coverage of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, it doesn’t provide coverage for Sandy Straits or Moreton Bay Parks. I am based in Moreton Bay, so this was my incentive to start this project. Its amazing that the app has a disclaimer “not to be used for navigation purposes”. Then how can a person be certain of whether they are in or out of a zone and argue this in court if need be? I in no way seek to belittle the app or its use, as I see it has lots of other features.


The real reason we are at this discussion point is because the official charts that we as boaties are required to carry, paper or electronic, do not include these zones. Numerous people have had this out with the AUS Hydrographic Charts people, and they lay the blame at the feet of the Marine Park Authorities in not providing the info. But then the MPA can produce this app. Typical government bureaucracy. I would hazard a guess that the bureaucrats are reading this forum and laughing and saying Ha Ha we got em again.


For me KISS is the order of the day.


One screen with as much info as necessary to achieve safe navigation. I dont want one of those OFM moments when I miss something as important as entering a green zone with lines in the water. I have had the spotter planes fly over me outside Moreton Island. Also having AIS gives the authorities your location and you know the rest. (Fines/Loss of boat)


What would interest me here is confirmation that these zones of mine line up with your App or not. So, if you or anyone else gets the chance to have both open when entering a zone, I would be appreciating any feedback. Or if your app gives GPS marks for boundary points could you compare these to one or two of mine please?


GBRMP green, blue and olive are all on my github give it a try.
MBMP is just getting a bit of housekeeping but will be up soon.
GSMP will follow when time allows.



Cheers Dave

[redog]

Hi All
It seems I may have hit a snag in how I was planning to roll this out.
The orange and pink zones are contained within green zones and need to be superimposed on the green.

As such when displaying using Draw you must load the green first then the other 2 in any order. Also helps if the superimposed zones (top zones) fill density is increased to max of 255.
If you load in the incorrect order the outline of the pink/ orange is all you see, the infill colour remains green.

This may me a bit confusing while you are trying to navigate.


Also I am testing on a NUC and it appears to work OK, but does take a considerable time for O to start with these as persistent layers. It has been suggested elsewhere that under operational conditions with all of O's functions that some processors may not handle such big layers.


So plan B:
Make the files smaller by matching the existing Marine Parks naming convention.


That is follow the LAT names and maybe include all colours into 1 files for each LAT area. These can be split into 3 later if needed (green,pink,orange) (blue) (yellow)

Zones in between Lat 10 and Lat 11
eg: GBRMP-10-1001 is GBRMP - area 10 - zone name 1001
So all zones that lay in LAT 10 area go into GBRMP-10.gpx
LAT 11 go into GBRMP-11.gpx
and so on down to GBRMP-24.gpx
Thats 3 files broken down into 15 files.



I think this way if you are navigating north you only have to have 2 smaller files loaded. As you cross the LAT you could delete the one you have just left and add the next one above. Heading south you may get away with only 1 loaded because of the way zones are structured.


I can start putting these together but in the meantime if someone is able to test at sea let me know the Latitudes you will be working between and I can do them first.


Cheers Dave

[rgleason]

Dave,
Perhaps it would be helpful to think about using the Layers Library too?
See this wiki manual list about layers and the layer library.


https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3143141




https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...layers_library

[bcn]

Dave...


please have a look at the screenshot attached.
This would be the way how to integrate your complement into the o-charts Australian chart section.


If you are happy we will launch it this way and in case you want to modify or add stuff, please just let us know.


Hubert

[redog]

Hubert


That looks fine, just hold off until I get the changes up on github. That might save some confusion.



I will get back to you once done.


Thanks Dave

[Davidla]

Make sure you know where the pink zones are above all else. Accidentally dragging a fishing line into a green zone is nowhere near as important as anchoring (or even venturing into) a pink zone. (callsign Borderforce xxx)

[redog]

Hi All
I have uploaded the new files to github and deleted the old.


https://github.com/redog666/qld-coastal-zones


If anyone finds errors please let me know.
I found using base map only gives a clearer picture of the zones and ability to pick up errors in outlines of the zones.


Cheers Dave

[redog]

Originally Posted by bcn

Dave...


please have a look at the screenshot attached.
This would be the way how to integrate your complement into the o-charts Australian chart section.


If you are happy we will launch it this way and in case you want to modify or add stuff, please just let us know.


Hubert

Hubert
Its good to hit the go button.


Thanks again Dave