ACRS submission to the independent review of the governance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

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 that the main object of the Act: ‘the long term protection and conservation of the environment,
biodiversity  and heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef Region’ is achieved.

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ACRS science-based policy plan for Australia’s coral reefs

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:

  1. Climate Change,
  2. Port development,
  3. Water quality.
  4. Fisheries,
  5. Crown-of Thorns,
  6. Marine debris pollution,
  7. Compliance & Management,
  8. Beach erosion,
  9. Anthropogenic noise

 

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ACRS submission on the Commonwealth marine reserve management planning process

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  GBRMP,  however  the proposed reduction and fragmentation of the existing MNPZ’s in the Coral Sea and the opening of Rowley Shoals to commercial fishing is  disappointing,  represents a major backward step, and has no scientific grounding.

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Comment on the fisheries management reform in Queensland green paper

The Australian Coral Reef Society (ACRS) applaud the Queensland Government’s effort to refocus outdated management  practices and achieve long-term sustainability and resilient fisheries stocks, as well as healthy ecosystems that all  Australians can enjoy now and into the future. We highlight four areas of the reform that we feel are important to  fisheries and coral reefs in Queensland.

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ACRS science-based policy plan for the Great Barrier Reef – Discussion: Advancing Climate Action in Queensland

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 the subnational global
climate leadership memorandum of understanding.

• Given the inevitability of future climate-related impacts to the Great Barrier Reef, we support the
innovation and additional funding required for improving water quality. We also urge a complete stop
to port expansions, and a ban on capital and maintenance dredge dumping. Each of these acts will
increase the resilience of the reef to future climatic disturbances.

Furthermore, we propose the following additional actions:

• We emphasise that by extracting and exporting fossil fuels to be burnt elsewhere, Queensland must take
responsibility for climate-inflicted damage to its coral reefs.

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ACRS science-based policy plan for the Great Barrier Reef- Comments on reef policy plans in the 2016 election

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 parties running in the Australian 2016 election.

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ACRS science-based policy plan for Australia’s coral reefs – Benefits of mangroves – Science brief for Hon. Mark Butler MP

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 restore mangrove forests along the Queensland coast.