Key Issues

The Great Barrier Reef Catchment is the main source of pollution to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Water runoff links the land to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The way in which the land is used and managed affects the quality of water in rivers, estuaries and the Reef, particularly the inshore areas close to the coast. It has become increasingly clear that the nearshore area in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is under stress from human activity, associated with coastal developments and agricultural practices. The key activities impacting Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area water quality are agriculture, aquaculture, coastal development, and shipping. The destruction of wetlands and the clearing of vegetation (including riparian zones) within catchments adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area have also contributed to a decline in water quality. In September 2001 the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority released the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Water Quality Current Issues report that provides an overview of the current key issues and information concerning water quality in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.