Tuesday 18 October 2005

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has played a key role in attracting more than 700 international marine experts to a major conference in Victoria.

The delegates, from over 64 countries, will converge on Geelong on 23 October for five days as part of the first International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC).

GBRMPA Conservation, Heritage and Indigenous Partnerships Director Jon Day said this was a very significant gathering of marine protected areas practitioners, policy makers, and scientists.

“It is an expertise-sharing exercise, focusing on key issues in marine conservation and sustainable use of marine resources leading to improved management of marine environments worldwide,” he said.

“Because Australia has one of the world’s largest ocean jurisdictions, and because of GBRMPA’s 30 years experience, we are well placed to assist others to protect and sustain their oceans and seas.”

Pre-conference events include a Great Barrier Reef tour, and a briefing in Townsville today (Tuesday 18 October 2005) by GBRMPA staff.

Delegates on the tour include marine managers from north and central America, Asia and the Pacific. Some were assisted to attend the conference and Great Barrier Reef tour through the generous financial support from several sponsoring agencies.

GBRMPA International Business Manager John Baldwin said this was a valuable opportunity to share information.

“This is an excellent chance to share knowledge with marine managers who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to get up close with a marine park of this size and complexity,” he said.

“We look forward to sharing our knowledge with them, and hearing more about their own marine management experiences in their respective countries.”

The briefing will explore the Marine Park Authority’s role in managing the Great Barrier Reef, and the key role that a coordinated and integrated approach to ecosystem management plays in conservation for the Marine Park.

A visit to ReefHQ’s living coral aquarium caps off the delegates’ one-day Townsville stopover.

They will also visit Hinchinbrook Channel and Missionary Bay, exploring the balancing of tourism and recreation in environmentally sensitive locations. The tour culminates with firsthand experience of tourism management on the outer reef off Cairns.

A second similar tour will take place after the conference, with other international marine experts set to address GBRMPA employees the following week.