Response
Response
The GBRMPA uses a variety of measures to either eliminate or substantially reduce the magnitude and likelihood of impacts on corals in instances where human activities could potentially impact on corals. These measures include the establishment of zones or special areas prohibiting certain activities, the application of permit conditions associated with specific activities, the establishment of guidelines and codes of conduct, and the development of research and monitoring programs to assess impacts and monitor ecosystem condition.
Response: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan 2003
The GBRMPA recently re-zoned the entire Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) through the Representative Areas Program (RAP). The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan 2003 (the Zoning Plan) used the best available scientific knowledge to rezone the GBRMP to better protect all the types of habitats and ecosystems that make up the Great Barrier Reef, and to preserve the ecological connections between them. While some 200 coral reefs under the previous zoning system were in protected ‘green zones’, relatively few of the adjacent habitats that help to support coral reefs were protected. Furthermore, the few protected ‘non-reef’ habitats were clustered in the north of the GBRMP. The new Zoning Plan however, includes examples of every kind of non-reef habitat in a network of protected areas to ensure that the habitats that support life on coral reefs and help connect different reefs together are protected across the length of the Great Barrier Reef. This will help to ensure the ecological viability of coral reefs themselves. No-take areas or ‘green zones’ within the GBRMP have increased from 4.6% to 33.3%. The Zoning Plan came into effect on 1 July 2004.
Response: Climate change
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| The GBRMPA is involved with research aimed at identifying the effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef |
Climate change is a global phenomenon that is beyond the scope of the GBRMPA to manage directly. Nevertheless, the GBRMPA is committed to ensuring that the uncertainties concerning the effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef are resolved. To this end, the GBRMPA is involved in collaborative research projects with NOAA in the United States and the AIMS to monitor sea temperatures and coral bleaching. GBRMPA has developed a coral bleaching response program so that if coral bleaching occurs, the extent and severity of the bleaching can be catalogued using standardised methods. This is a critical step in raising awareness about the impacts of climate change on coral reefs and in promoting international efforts to address the issue. The GBRMPA also supports a number of research projects on coral bleaching.
While the GBRMPA is unable to directly address global climate change, it is committed to ensuring that coral reef resilience is not degraded by human activities. Pressure from terrestrial run-off, over-fishing and losses in biodiversity will affect the ability of coral reefs to cope with stress from coral bleaching. By minimising these pressures through the Zoning Plan, the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan and various fisheries plans, the GBRMPA aims to ensure that coral reefs are relieved from other pressures when coping with coral bleaching, giving them a better chance of surviving and recovering from these events.
Response: Permits for commercial activities and research
Most commercial and research activities in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park require a permit from the GBRMPA. During the assessment of each permit, potential impacts on corals are considered and, if necessary, permit conditions are imposed to eliminate or minimise these impacts.
Response: terrestrial influences and water quality
In August 2002, the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on developing a Reef Water Quality Protection Plan to address water quality degradation in the Great Barrier Reef Catchment. This included a comprehensive review of the scientific information on water quality in the Great Barrier Reef, which concluded that there is presently a serious risk to the long term future of inshore reef areas, and that immediate action is required to avoid further ecosystem damage and allow long-term recovery of affected ecosystems. The draft Reef Water Quality Protection Plan was released on 22nd May 2003 with the final scheduled for release in August 2003 following community consultation. Once the plan is implemented, progress will be reported to the Prime Minister and Queensland Premier in 2005, with a follow up report in 2010. For more information about the GBRMPA’s response to water quality issues, see Management Status – Water Quality and Coastal Development.
Response: Moorings
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| Volunteers and Marine Park rangers have installed markers to identify “no-anchoring” areas in the Whitsunday Islands |
Moorings and 'no anchoring areas' are used to reduce coral damage from boat anchors. Many commercial reef operators are required to install and maintain their own mooring, while public moorings are being progressively installed in sensitive, high-use anchorages throughout the Marine Park. In the Whitsunday Islands, 13 'no anchoring areas' have been created and moorings have been allocated under various management plans and policies. There are now 87 public moorings in the Whitsunday Islands and 53 distributed between the Cairns Planning Area and Magnetic Island off Townsville. Installation of private moorings in the Cairns Planning Area has been capped and in the Whitsundays, private moorings are restricted to certain areas. The GBRMPA is progressively implementing the Moorings Policy starting with the standardisation of mooring buoys and a moorings register. This will allow the GBRMPA to monitor moorings infrastructure, ensure the number, types and locations of moorings are appropriate and maximise the sharing of moorings where possible. This also allows illegal moorings (which pose environmental, safety and amenity risks) to be identified and removed. Best Environmental Practices for moorings have been developed to educate boat operators about the risks of anchor damage and the use of moorings.
Response: Research and monitoring programs
An important management response to potential pressures is the establishment of monitoring programs to detect and assess human-induced or natural impacts. Monitoring Programs assess the effectiveness of management responses in eliminating or reducing impacts or environmental risks. Where an activity is predicted to pose a risk to coral reef environments (eg: dredging), monitoring programs are specifically designed and implemented for that activity to assess the risk it poses, document any impacts and manage the activity. As such, monitoring is often required as a condition of a permit to conduct commercial activities on the Great Barrier Reef, and can include a 'reactive monitoring' component. This ensures that adverse impacts during the construction or installation of a structure on the reef are detected at an early stage and action is taken to minimise impacts before significant damage occurs.
As well as management focused monitoring programs, the GBRMPA is involved in long-term monitoring programs through the CRC Reef Research Centre. These programs are designed to improve our understanding of the ecological processes and trends occurring on coral reefs. The GBRMPA needs this information to assess the potential risks posed by human activities, predict impacts, and interpret the results of management focused monitoring programs. For more information on the scope and extent of various monitoring programs on the Great Barrier Reef, see Management Status - Monitoring.
Response: Tourist guidelines for tourism structures, diving, snorkelling and reef walking
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| Divers and snorkellers are urged to follow Best Environmental Practices |
The CRC Reef Research Centre, the tourism industry and the GBRMPA have developed a set of Reef Infrastructure Guidelines for Tourist Pontoons. These guidelines describe how pontoons should be designed, installed and maintained. In general, new technology and care during installation has greatly reduced the potential risk pontoons pose to coral reefs.
Tourists on most trips to the reef are given an introductory lecture, which stresses the importance of avoiding direct contact with coral. Floats are provided at many reef sites to allow snorkellers to rest without standing on the reef. Reef walkers are also briefed to avoid walking directly on corals and are often accompanied by a guide who encourages appropriate behaviour. The GBRMPA has developed a list of Best Environmental Practices which are used in briefings to help tourists understand how to minimise their impacts when visiting coral reefs.
Response: Shipping regulations and guidelines
In order to reduce the risk of ships grounding within the Great Barrier Reef it is compulsory for all vessels over 70 metres or any ships with a cargo of oil, chemicals or liquefied gas to carry a pilot whilst transiting the inner shipping route. As a response to political and community sensitivity, oil companies tend to direct crude oil tankers to travel outside the Reef when travelling along the Queensland coast. Further details on the management of shipping can be found in Management Status - Shipping and Oil Spills.