3 May 2011

Following the floods in the Keppels and coastal region, Australian and Queensland Government agencies and the aquarium collectors industry are working in partnership to help minimise the impacts of collecting in plume-affected sites.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), Fisheries Queensland and Pro-vision Reef, the peak body for aquarium collectors, have activated Fisheries Queensland's Coral Stress Response Plan 2009 and the industry's Stewardship Action Plan (SAP).

The Coral Stress Response Plan seeks to minimise the impacts of commercial fishing on coral reef systems showing signs of stress to allow them to recover or improve their resilience to further stress events.

Since January, three Response Taskforce meetings have been held, which have focussed on using available information to identify the impacts of the flooding on the Reef and the potential responses of the industry to these impacts.

The Stewardship Action Plan provides a way to respond to varying levels of coral stress following events like coral bleaching and flooding. Depending on a site's level of stress (low, moderate or heavy), fishers will voluntarily modify their collection practices. This may involve only collecting at depths greater than five metres, not collecting some kinds of species, or not collecting at all, at that site.

In early February, some aquarium fishers also assisted the Taskforce to collect information on the Reef's condition. They provided the first underwater images of reefs, post flooding. This was an important source of information.

Coral survey results have been delayed due to ongoing bad weather, so alternatives for estimating likely impact are being developed to determine where responses should be applied.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Program Manager, Randall Owens, said this was the first time the Stewardship Action Plan had been activated in response to a major event like the flooding.

"The insights we gain from implementing the Action Plan will be valuable," he said. 

Fisheries Queensland Resource Manager, Dr Brigid Kerrigan, said the Taskforce was formed to consider the impact to the coral reef as a result of the recent flooding of the Fitzroy River in Central Queensland.

"The taskforce is reviewing the information available on the impacts of flooding on the aquarium fishery and recommending appropriate integrated actions," Dr Kerrigan said.

Pro-vision Reef President, Lyle Squire, said he was satisfied that the collaborative arrangement with the fishery and marine park managers was the right approach.

“The industry Stewardship Action Plan was triggered by the flooding and fishery participants have responded positively to the new initiative. This provides a solid foundation for developing further collaboration into the future.”

The Stewardship Action Plan and the Coral Stress Response Plan 2009 will remain in action until monitoring indicates that the need for special action has passed.

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