Management Concern: Moderate   

Adequacy of Information: Moderate

Summary extracts from Outlook Report 2009

• The overall area of mangrove forest adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef appears to be generally stable except where there is significant coastal development.
• Mangrove communities are dynamic and have been known to die-back at times (e.g. Pioneer River, Shoalwater Bay). The Pioneer River die-back is likely to have been caused by herbicide run-off.
  
• The impacts of dredging and construction of port facilities - such as seabed disturbance, transport or re-suspension of contaminants, alteration of sediment movement and changes in coastal processes - can be significant, but are localised.
  

What do we know?

Relevant pages from Outlook Online include:

• Diversity and distribution of mangroves in the Great Barrier Reef  [822KB]
  
• Mangroves enhance the biomass of coral reef fish communities in the Caribbean
  
• Changes to mangroves and salt marshes in several estuaries
• Mangrove distribution and diversity
• Development intensification and water quality pressures on the Great Barrier Reef ecosystems
• Population and urban growth in the Great Barrier Reef catchment
• Population centres in Queensland and Great Barrier Reef catchment 
• Population projections 
  

Existing policies and management actions

• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan
  
• Plans of Management
• State Coastal Management Plan 2002 
• Coastal Ecosystem Management Position Paper
• GBRMPA involvement in coastal development planning and assessment
• Reef Guardian Councils
  
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
  
• State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971
  
• Department of Infrastructure and Planning
  
• Regional coastal management plans 
• Permits
• Improving water quality
• Coastal ecosystem protection

Future management requirements

• Draft Queensland Coastal Management Plan
  
• Biodiversity strategy

Defined research questions

• What natural and human influences affect the distribution and abundance of mangroves and wetlands?
• What are resilience thresholds for mangrove habitats?

Related information

• Current Research and Monitoring