Here, we comment on the New South Wales Government’s decision to abandon sanctuary zones in the proposed Hawkesbury Shelf Marine Bioregion. We briefly note our objections to the NSW Fisheries Minister’s decision to remove no-take zones from the Hawkesbury Shelf Marine Bioregion and we urge the NSW Government to reconsider and return to a process […]
Here, we comment on the Australian Marine Parks Network (AMPN) Draft Management Plans released on 21 July 2017. We briefly note our objections to the draft plan for Australia’s Commonwealth marine estate, then in more detail describe our concerns that relate to the draft plan for the Coral Sea. Download
The past three years have seen the worst mass coral bleaching in history occurring across the globe. For the first time we have seen back-to-back bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef resulting in the loss of more than half of shallow-water corals. The devastating damage from climate change is irrefutable, and will be exacerbated […]
The Governance arrangements for the GBRMPA were initially established through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, and reviewed in 2006. Since this time, the uses of, and threats to, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) have changed considerably. These changes highlight the need for the accompanying changes in governance of the GBRMPA to ensure […]
Positive, practical changes to current reef policies could help reverse the decline in the health of Australia’s coral reefs and increase the viability of all the industries associated with reefs. Here, we highlight ways to build resilience in Australia’s coral reefs to protect from harmful human impacts. We focus on: Climate Change, Port development, Water […]
The current Federal Government Review of the Commonwealth Marine Reserve offers the ideal opportunity to redress these deficiencies in the management plans and thus improve the protection of Australia’s marine environment and standing as a world leader in marine conservation. It is heartening to see the proposed addition of three new MNPZ adjacent to the […]
The ACRS strongly supports the following proposed actions: • A commitment to more ambitious targets to reduce Queensland’s greenhouse gas emissions. • A transition to a clean-energy, low-carbon economy, with the long-term aim of 100% renewable energy by 2050. • To be the second Australian state to sign the ‘Under 2 MOU,’ put forward by […]
Australia is a world leader in the management of marine ecosystems, yet the threats faced by reefs are growing at an unprecedented rate. Solutions to these problems lie in environmental governance and climate change mitigation. Below we highlight the primary threats to coral reefs, and the policies proposed to address them by the two major […]
Declining water quality has already led to decreased coral diversity and coverage on coastal reefs of the GBR. Importantly, mangroves have the ability to reduce impacts of water quality. Australia has the 2nd largest area of mangroves in the world. Below, we have highlighted the benefits of mangroves, and recommend immediate action to protect and […]