Print PageOutlook Online 2009
Interaction of ports and shipping with coral reefs
Management Concern: Low
Adequacy of Information: Moderate
Summary extracts from Outlook Report 2009
- Coral reef habitats are likely to be declining, more so in inshore areas, but the trends are difficult to interpret.
- Most routine shipping activities have negligible consequences. Dredging and construction of port facilities can have significant, but localised impacts.
What do we know?
Relevant pages from Outlook Online:
- Confronting the coral reef crisis
- Australian Institute of Marine Science - surveys of sessile benthic communities
- Coral cover estimates during broadscale surveys using manta tow
- Trend in GBR hard coral cover from the AIMS Long Term Monitoring Program
- Reef Water Quality Protection Plan Inshore Reef Monitoring: hard coral, soft coral and algal cover
- Status of coral reefs of the world 2008
- Shipping voyages in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- Shipping incidents in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- Major shipping incidents in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- Great Barrier Reef oil spill risk and equipment
- The 2006 Gladstone oil spill: environmental impacts
- Dredging at the Port of Hay Point
Existing policies and management actions
- Marine Park legislation and regulations
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 – Ecological assessments
- Permit conditions for specific activities
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan
- Environmental impact assessment
- Memorandum of Understanding between GBRMPA and Queensland Ports
[1.34KB] - Cruise Shipping Policy for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [113KB]
- Dredging and Spoil Disposal Policy [525KB]
- Environmental Impact Management Policy [900KB]
Future management requirements
- Biodiversity strategy
- Planned review of the Dredging and Spoil Disposal policy
Defined research questions
- There are currently no defined research questions for this topic. Research questions will be developed, giving priority to interactions/issues that are of most concern to management.
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