Globally, stereo-BRUVs usage is spreading rapidly. The standardisation of stereo-BRUVs surveys and annotation will facilitate the synthesis of comparable data over continental and global scales, and provide rich and interoperable data to inform natural resource management. Variation in methodology has constrained the interoperability of this data to date (Whitmarsh et al. 2017), we encourage researchers to standardise and share technical improvements and issues via an established on-line forum.
Achieving consistent field methodology and FAIR annotation, with data archiving and sharing protocols, provide the greatest barrier to the globally consistent uptake and impact of stereo-BRUV. We provide a standardised protocol that will reduce methodological variation among researchers and encourage the use of FAIR workflows to increase the ability to synthesise datasets and answer a range of ecological questions.