"The best-protected reefs in the world, on the Great Barrier Reef, are the closest to pristine. But these same reefs are also one-quarter to one-third of the way along PC1 to ecological extinction." (Pandolfi et al., 2003).

"The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) ecosystem boasts a system-wide spatial management approach that is arguably the world’s most sophisticated and extensively implemented example of marine zoning." (Ruckelshaus et al., 2008)

"Prior to rezoning, only 4.5% of the GBRMP was established as no-take zones; these areas now constitute over 33% of the Park, and a higher diversity of habitats are protected (Fernandes et al. 2005).These achievements are largely due to the GBRMPA’s development of specific scientific and socioeconomic goals, use of adaptive management, and its willingness to involve the public, adopt transparency, and consult with multiple user groups." (Arkema et al., 2006)

"The oceanic and island reefs of the GBR and the Coral Sea are amongst the best understood and managed in the world with considerable capacity and expertise in research and management, particularly along the GBR." (Chin et al., 2008)

"Even on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the largest and best-managed reef in the world, decline is ongoing." (Pandolfi et al., 2005)

"Management continues to set the benchmank for best practice, both in Eastern Australia on the Great Barrier Reef and, more recently, off Western Australia." (Wilkinson, 2008)

Pandolfi, J.M., Bradbury, R.H., Sala, E., Hughes, T.P., Bjorndal, K.A., Cooke, R.G., McArdle, D., McClenachan, L., Newman, M.J.H., Paredes, G., Warner, R.R. & Jackson, J.B.C. 2003, Global trajectories of the long-term decline of coral reef ecosystems. Science, 301: (5635) 955-958

Ruckelshaus, M., Klinger, T., Knowlton, N. & DeMaster, D.P. 2008, Marine ecosystem-based management in practice: scientific and governance challenges. BioScience, 58: (1) 53-63

Arkema, K.K., Abramson, S.C. & Dewsbury, B.M. 2006, Marine ecosystem-based management: from characterization to implementation. Front. Ecol. Environ., 4: (10) 525-532

Chin, A., Sweatman, H., Forbes, F., Perks, H., Walker, R., Jones, G., Williamson, D., Evans, R., Hartley, F., Armstrong, S., Malcolm, H. and Edgar, G.  2008, Status of the coral reefs in Austraila and papua New Guinea, In: Wilkinson, C. (ed.) Status of coral reefs of the world: 2008, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Townsville, Australia

Pandolfi, J.M., Jackson, J.B.C., Baron, N., Bradbury, R.H., Guzman, H.M., Hughes, T.P., Kappel, C.V., Micheli, F., Ogden, J.C., Possingham, H.P. & Sala, E. 2005, Are U.S. coral reefs on the slippery slope to slime? Science, 307: (5716) 1725-1726

Wilkinson, C. 2008, Status of coral reefs of the world: 2008, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Townsville, Australia