Management Concern: Moderate    

Adequacy of Information: Moderate

Summary extracts from Outlook Report 2009

• The Great Barrier Reef is maintaining strong mangrove biodiversity with local fluctuations, mainly along the developed coast.
• The impacts of dredging and construction of port facilities - such as seabed disturbance, transport or resuspension of contaminants, alteration of sediment movement and changes in coastal processes - can be significant, but are localised.
• Increasing coastal development is resulting in the loss of both coastal habitats that support the Great Barrier Reef and connectivity between habitats.

What do we know?

Relevant pages from Outlook Online:

• 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 GBR catchment
• Population centres in Queensland and Great Barrier Reef catchment 
• Population projections 
  
• Dredging at the Port of Hay Point

Existing policies and management actions

• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan
  
• Plans of Management
• Environmental impact assessment
  
• 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
• 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