15 December 2008

Four no anchoring areas have been established in Keppel Bay to minimise anchor damage to corals, following community concerns about coral being affected by anchors and coral bleaching.

Healthy reefs have a greater chance of surviving changes in the climate and this is one of the strategies that can help protect corals.

Sally Harman from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) said the community approached the agency to look at ways to manage increased use and to help make corals more resilient to bleaching and flooding.

“The Keppel Bay area is one of the many special and beautiful places in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and it’s attracting increased visitors and has been exposed to bleaching and flooding,” she said.

“With increasing use comes a greater pressure and the corals in Keppel Bay are being damaged. We’re responding to community concerns about how to manage this.

“We’re working with the Environmental Protection Agency to look at ways to ensure tourism and recreation use in the area is well managed and sustainable so the reefs in the bay can stay healthy and the marine environment is protected.”

These no anchoring areas are one of the strategies adopted as part of a flexible approach to managing use in the Marine Park, particularly to address threats like climate change.

The community, lead by the Capricorn Coast Local Marine Advisory Committee (LMAC), helped select the locations. Information on the level of resilience and the type of habitat that will be protected helped inform their decisions.

“The no anchoring areas will be designated by reef protection markers, which highlight where fragile reefs are located and where anchoring is not permitted,” she said.

“We know that no anchoring areas minimise anchor damage as we have seen their success in the Whitsundays and Magnetic Island off Townsville. Now we want to see how effective they are in helping to increase the resilience of the reefs.

“By protecting these corals today, they will be healthier to help withstand the impact of climate change in the future.”

The no anchoring areas will be located at: Barren Island – north western side; Great Keppel Island - Big Peninsula; Great Keppel Island – Monkey Beach Reef, allowing access to the beach; and, Humpy Island – west of the campground.

The areas are designated by reef protection markers - white pyramid shaped buoys (joined by an imaginary line) with blue marine park labels. 

Anchoring is not allowed inshore of the line of buoys. Reef protection markers must not be used to moor vessels, but may be used as a descent line for diving.  

These measures take place in conjunction with other protection measures such as zoning and site-specific Plans of Management. 

Stakeholder consultation for this project has been via a targeted approach.  It included discussions with members of the LMAC, Traditional Owners including the members of the Woppaburra Steering Committee, recreational and commercial fishers, Great Keppel Island residents, yachting community, general Rockhampton/Yeppoon residents via ABC Radio interview, Fitzroy Basin Association, Rockhampton Regional Council, tourism operators, key researchers, and CapReef.