The cumulative take and impacts of commercial, recreational and subsistence fisheries on coral and rocky reefs are presently unknown, precluding ecologically sustainable outcomes through the long term. At large scales, fisheries impacts are currently estimated from what has been taken from the sea (i.e. from fisheries catch data), rather than what remains in marine ecosystems. The Large Reef Fish indicator is essentially a variant of the Large Fish Indicator (LFI) used for The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in Europe but represents an in situ biomass density (kg/ha) based on underwater censuses of fishes from rocky and coral reefs, rather than a proportion of biomass from fisheries catches or trawls. It is a direct estimate of fishable biomass on shallow reefs. It can be used to track biodiversity responses to fishing, effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) and is also relevant to understanding climate impacts on fisheries opportunities in vulnerable reef habitats such as coral reefs or kelp forests.