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Threats to the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem
- Anchoring on coral by small vessels
- Artificial barriers to riverine and estuarine flow (e.g. dams, weirs, breakwalls and gates)
- Boat strike leading to death in species of conservation concern
- Clearing or modifying wetlands, mangroves and other coastal habitats
- Climate change induced altered cyclone activity
- Climate change induced altered ocean currents
- Death of discarded species during fishing or collecting
- Dredging and dumping of spoil
- Extraction of detritivores by fishing (eg. prawns and sea cucumbers)
- Extraction of filter feeders by fishing (eg. scallops)
- Extraction of herbivores by fishing
- Extraction of lower order predators by fishing (eg. coral trout)
- Extraction of top order predators by fishing (eg. sharks)
- Fishing in unprotected fish spawning aggregations
- Grounding of large vessels
- Grounding of small vessels
- Illegal fishing or collecting (foreign or domestic)
- Incidental catch during fishing of species of conservation concern
- Increasing sea temperature
- Ingestion of or entanglement in marine debris causing death in species of conservation concern
- Introduction of exotic species and diseases from aquaculture operations
- Introduction of exotic species and diseases through use of imported bait
- Introduction of exotic species and diseases through vessel ballast water discharge
- Introduction of exotic species and diseases through vessel hull fouling
- Large chemical spill
- Large oil spill
- Nutrients from catchment runoff
- Ocean acidification
- Outbreak of coral disease
- Outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish
- Outbreak of Drupella species
- Pesticides (including herbicides) from catchment runoff
- Physical impacts of fishing
- Physical impacts of snorkelling and diving activity
- Poaching and illegal harvesting of species of conservation concern
- Sea level rise
- Sediments from catchment runoff
- Small chemical spill
- Small oil spill
- Traditional hunting of species of species of conservation concern
- Waste discharge from a vessel (including litter and sewage)
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Free Zoning Maps
If you're heading out on the water, don't forget your free Zoning Map so you know where you can go and what you can do.
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Whale of a time
The Great Barrier Reef is a hive of activity. If you're lucky enough to see a humpback whale from May to September, make sure you keep a safe distance.
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Important milestone
We're delighted to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park's World Heritage listing.
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Visit the Reef
Visit our Great Barrier Reef and discover its amazing plants, animals and habitats. There are a range of tourism experiences on offer.
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What you can do
Everyone has a role to play in protecting our Great Barrier Reef. Find out what you can do to help protect this Great Australian icon.
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Report marine strandings
If you see sick, dead or stranded marine animals please call RSPCA QLD 1300 ANIMAL
(1300 264 625) -
Climate Change and the Great Barrier Reef
A Vulnerability Assessment: of the issues that could have far-reaching consequences for the Great Barrier Reef.
