Seascape variables (e.g., patch size, isolation, distance to other habitats) can interact with the local species pool to shape the composition of fish communities within patch habitats. Recent work on mesohabitats such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds have found that both within-patch conditions (e.g., habitat complexity, predator abundance) and spatial context (e.g., connectivity, isolation) can be important predictors for fish community structure. Similar understanding is needed for seaweed meadow patch networks, which have recently been demonstrated to be key nurseries for tropical fishes. We explored how patch quality (e.g., patch size, microhabitat structure) and seascape context (e.g., distance to next patch, distance to coral reef) may help explain the distribution and abundance of labrid fishes within a 6 km2 section of the World Heritage Ningaloo Marine Park. In situ visual surveys of fish and habitat, in conjunction with on-ground GPS mapping for 31 patches revealed that key measures of microhabitat complexity interact with the spatial context of a seaweed meadow to provide key predictors for the diversity and abundance of fish species and functional groups. Our results suggest that spatial management and conservation approaches need to take account of both patch habitat quality and positioning in the seascape in order to encompass the local species pool in a given area of concern.