#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
since 1992. The central region of the GBR is currently experiencing outbreak levels of COTS,
while reefs in the Cairns section are showing signs of recovery. A second outbreak of COTS
is active in the southern Swains reefs. There was damaging coral bleaching over
considerable areas of the GBR in 2002. Bleaching was once again correlated with elevated
temperature ‘hotspots’ but these varied from the areas affected in 1998. Bleaching was more
extensive and inshore reefs were once again the most affected. Mortality rates from this
event are not yet known. Coral disease is emerging as a new threat to the GBR with surveys
in 2002 showing increased coral mortality due to an unknown group of pathogens
colloquially termed ‘white syndrome’. The coral reefs of Papua New Guinea (PNG), however,
are less well known with few protected areas, but with strong traditional management.
There are reefs with high biodiversity and great scenic beauty, which are in relatively good
condition, although there are warning signals of increasing human pressures and threats
from global climate change. Countering these negative trends, there has been strong recent
interest by larger NGOs which are intent on conserving much of this high biodiversity
through involving communities in resource management. The largest threats on the
horizon are major deforestation activities, increasing fishing pressures from steadily
growing populations, and the unknown threats from coral bleaching.
INTRODUCTION
The coral reefs around Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) collectively contain
approximately 17.2% of the world’s total, and include some reefs with almost the same
high biodiversity as those in the ‘biodiversity hot spot’ of Indonesia and the Philippines.
The critical difference to those ‘hot spot’ reefs is that most in this region are under low
human pressures and those around Australia are subject to high level research and
monitoring activity that is supporting strong resource management. Thus these reefs
remain as some of the least impacted with the best prognosis for the future, with the
exception of climate change related coral bleaching and mortality.
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the major Australian reef structure, with 3,000 fringing,
submerged, platform and barrier reefs spread over 2,700km of the Queensland continental
shelf, from the reefs of the Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea to 23°S. All of the reefs
are contained within the GBR Marine Park (339,750km 2 ), which is also a World Heritage
Site. There are also remote reefs in the Coral Sea to the east and south of the GBR, and
also extensive coral reefs off the coast of Western Australia, including 4,000km 2 at
Ningaloo Reef. Australia’s EEZ includes reefs well out into the Indian Ocean, as far as the
longitude of western Sumatra.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) includes a series of large (New Britain, New Ireland and
Bougainville) and small islands as well as the eastern half of the large island of New
Guinea. The coastline of over 10,000km and the EEZ of several million square kilometres
includes all major reef types, with an estimated area of 40,000km 2 . The diversity of reef
fishes and corals at the few locations that have been studied ranks among the highest in
the world. Coastal communities depend significantly on coral reefs for coastal protection,
subsistence food, medicines and cultural products e.g. the names for PNG currency are
based on reef species recognising that these were once traditional currency. The reefs are
important for dive tourism and export fisheries, especially the live reef food fish trade.
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