Management Concern: High    

Adequacy of Information: Moderate

Summary extracts from Outlook Report 2009

• The incidence of coral disease may be increasing in some areas.
  
• Some studies have indicated a potential link between coral disease and increasing sea temperatures as a result of climate change.
  
• A few instances of fish disease have been reported and a small number of stranded marine mammals and turtles show signs of disease (Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasmosis) linked to human activities. The very limited nature of these findings makes it difficult to interpret their significance.
• Fibropapillomatosis, believed to be caused by a virus, is most commonly found on green turtles. Higher incidence of the disease is noted in areas adjacent to large human populations and areas with low water turnover.
  

What do we know?

Relevant pages from Outlook Online include:

• Links between mass coral bleaching and coral disease outbreaks 
• Coral disease on the Great Barrier Reef
• Thermal stress and coral cover as drivers of coral disease
• Black band disease on the Great Barrier Reef 
• Cryptosporidium infection in a dugong
• Toxoplasmosis in Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins
• The occurrence of Cutaneous Fibropapillomas in Marine Turtles in Queensland
  

Existing policies and management actions

• Marine standings
  
• Australian Government policy on climate change 
• Queensland Government climate change policies and strategies 
• Climate Change Action Plan 2007-2012
• Queensland Biosecurity Strategy 2009-2014 
• Water Quality Guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (2009)
  
• Regional Water Quality Improvement Plans
  
• Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program
• Improving water quality
• Coastal ecosystem protection

Future management requirements

• Future management requirements in this area are being guided by ongoing assessment of emerging research outcomes and issues identified by the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009.

Defined research questions

• Will the risk of coral disease outbreaks that cause widespread mortality on the Great Barrier Reef increase under predicted climate change scenarios?  
  
• What are the trends in incidence of coral disease?
  
• How are outbreaks of coral disease triggered?
  
• How are coral diseases transmitted?

Related information

• Current Research and Monitoring