The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is widely recognised as one of the best managed marine protected areas in the world and it remains one of the most healthy coral reef ecosystems. As experience in other countries has shown, healthy coral reefs are more resilient to coral disease outbreaks, emphasising the importance of continued management of non-environmental impacts on the Great Barrier Reef.

The GBRMPA's management actions are all contributing to increased resilience of the Great Barrier Reef:

• Current protective zoning arrangements
  
• Ongoing efforts to improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef through the joint Australian and Queensland Government's Reef Water Quality Protection Plan
• Implementing and supporting high standard tourism practices minimise stressors that can make corals more susceptible to disease.

Coral disease outbreak forecasting and field identification tools have been developed by GBRMPA in conjunction with its researcher agency partners. These are used as an early warning system by GBRMPA to ensure that significant outbreaks are detected quickly.

GBRMPA has also developed a coral disease response plan that ensures that response and management actions are implemented in a timely manner.

Scales of impact of coral disease

Regional to local: Coral disease outbreaks following mass bleaching or major cyclone events pose the most widespread risk for the Great Barrier Reef. Cyclones and mass bleaching events can affect a large number of reefs simultaneously and coral disease can subsequently reduce recovery, growth and reproduction amongst surviving corals.

Reef to colony: Coral disease resulting from flood plumes, run-off, nutrients and physical damage such as dredging, recreational or commercial boat anchoring poses a smaller but more frequent risk.

Coral colony: Previous temperature stress, predation, damage caused by researchers, fishers and recreational divers and snorkelers may also result in increased susceptibility to disease. However the scale of the increased risk is very small when compared with disease stressors e.g. temperature.