Research management

Research and management

This Strategy has been developed against a background of substantial prior work by a range of agencies and groups, including:

identification and protection, by QDEH, of many significant turtle nesting sites through the National Parks system;
continuing management of the National and Island National Parks system by QDEH, including management of visitors and eradication of feral animals that may threaten nesting sites;
extensive research concerning turtle exclusion devices by Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries (QDPI&F), QDEH and Queensland Commercial Fishermen’s Organisation (QCFO);
development of environmental standards by QCFO for use by their members;
extensive long-term research programs into the population dynamics and biology of turtles and dugongs by, or through funding from, the Australian Nature Conservation Agency (ANCA), QDEH, GBRMPA and other agencies;
long-term research into trawling and turtles, which may indicate mortality and population trends, by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and QDPI;
development and management of Marine Parks, including protective zoning of key breeding and feeding sites and/ or adjacent habitats by QDEH and GBRMPA;
establishment of fisheries reserves for seagrass conservation by QDPI;
monitoring of shark meshing programs and trend toward net replacement by drumlines, by QDPI and Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QB&FP);
bans on take of turtles and dugongs except by Aboriginals
and Torres Strait Islanders for traditional purposes;
development by GBRMPA and QDEH, of cooperative management arrangements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups to assist in managing the take of turtles and dugongs for traditional purposes;
research and monitoring of the characteristics, functions, distribution and abundance of seagrass meadows by QDPI;
monitoring by QDEH staff of seagrass meadows in the
GBR Region;
implementation of protective legislation by ANCA, QDEH, QDPI and GBRMPA;
extensive research and monitoring by James Cook University of North Queensland (JCUNQ) and other tertiary institutions relating to the biology, distribution and abundance of dugong and turtle populations in the GBRMP.

Turtles and dugongs are long-lived animals with complex reproductive characteristics. All species are mobile and may travel great distances during their lives. Consequently, they may be exposed to a number of impacts that could, individually or cumulatively, endanger them. Research on turtle and dugong populations is generally difficult, costly and often long-term in nature.

Environmentally inappropriate development can cause foreshore degradation that disturbs or destroys nesting sites and increases run-off into the ocean.

These biological characteristics also mean that the causal factors operating on turtles and dugongs as individuals, populations or as a species may continue to have an impact even after management action is taken. This lead time means that a coordinated, long-term and well-resourced research effort is required. However, management action cannot necessarily wait for conclusive and irrefutable proof that an impact exists and is jeopardising the viability of a species. Balancing conflicting demands between the needs of the species, demands of the proponents of activities that may threaten the species and inadequate, but growing research information will be a major challenge to implementing this strategy. Central to the success of the strategy is cooperation from all interests combined with the common goal of conservation of the species.