references
GREAT BARRIER REEF
// Outlook Report 2014
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Partners in management: In addition to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, many government agencies, Traditional Owners, stakeholders and individuals directly participate in protection and management activities within the Region and the adjacent catchment. For example: • Within the Australian Government: the Department of the Environment is responsible for implementing the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act; Border Protection Command provides aerial surveillance of the Region; and the Australian Institute of Marine Science undertakes research that supports management. • Within the Queensland Government: the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is responsible for dayto-day field management; the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is the lead agency on environmental management matters in intertidal areas, internal waters and the catchment; and Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol enforces fisheries, marine park and transport legislation. • Local governments are responsible for local planning and development decisions and providing local roads, waste removal and water treatment in the catchment. • Traditional Owners work to protect cultural and heritage values, conserve biodiversity and enhance the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef. • Industry groups, regional natural resource management bodies, research institutions, schools, community groups and individuals are involved in presenting the world heritage values of the Region, understanding the Region’s values, minimising impacts, addressing threats and improving outcomes. In addition, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority receives advice on protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park from 12 Local Marine Advisory Committees and issues-based Reef Advisory Committees and places a strong emphasis on community engagement, consultation and participation. The Queensland Government maintains structured advisory arrangements for tourism management through its State-wide Tourism Industry Forum.
Many government agencies, Traditional Owners, industries, researchers and community groups contribute to protection and management.
7.1.2 Focus of management
Activities to protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef are focused on 14 broad management topics: Managing direct use • commercial marine tourism • defence activities • fishing • ports • recreation (not including fishing) • research and educational activities • shipping • traditional use of marine resources. Managing external factors • climate change • coastal development • land-based run-off. Managing to protect the Region’s values • biodiversity values • heritage values • community benefits of the environment. These topics are the basis of the assessment of existing measures to protect and manage the Region’s ecosystem and its heritage values. The majority of management topics examined in the Outlook Report 2009 are repeated in this report. The amendments are: ports and shipping are separated to reflect the differences in both their management arrangements and their potential effects on the Region; and the topic of community benefits is added. Community benefits include aspects such as employment and income, and less tangible attributes such as understanding, appreciation, enjoyment, personal connection, health benefits and access to the Reef. The effectiveness of managing education activities was not assessed by the independent assessors as it is only a small component of the overall management task.