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

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Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 The average coral cover on 8 reefs in Kimbe Bay, New Britain PNG, shows a serious declining trend from 70% cover to around 20% in 6 years following several bleaching events and damage from sediments from lands cleared for oil palm plantations flowing onto the reefs during floods. representative sample of inner, middle and outer shelf reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as reefs off Western Australia (Ningaloo, Scott Reef and Rowley Shoals). Other agencies of national and state governments and universities conduct additional coral reef monitoring on the Solitary islands to the south of the GBR and on some spatially separated reefs of northern and western Australia. There are an increasing number of local NGOs that are undertaking coral reef monitoring, mainly using Reef Check methodology The GBR Marine Park is classified into four sections of the GBR, with hundreds of reefs in each section. Thus, observations on reef condition in each sector are based on observations of a representative proportion of those reefs. The best information on reef status is for the GBR Marine Park and some reefs of Western Australia. However there are large areas of reefs and coral communities for which there is only anecdotal information. Eastern Australia GBR Far Northern Section: Because these reefs are remote, monitoring is irregular; 10 reefs were surveyed in 2001 and average reef wide coral cover was 27% (range 10-43%) which is the similar to the 2000 report (26%). COTS were seen on most reefs but in very low numbers. GBR Cairns Section: These reefs are close to shore and the basis for a major tourism industry, and are also close to a mountainous hinterland that receives high rainfall. The amount of fresh water, nutrients and sediment flowing towards the inshore reefs is higher than most other areas of the GBR. There was a repeat of coral bleaching on inner-shelf reefs in 2002 and increased levels of ‘white syndrome’ disease on outer shelf reefs in the north. In 2001, 32 reefs were surveyed by manta tow and had a mean reef-wide hard coral cover of 21% (range 3-43%). These results are the same as reported in 2000. Video surveys of sites on the northeast sides of 18 reefs indicates there has been a small decrease in coral cover from 31% in 1999 to 27% in 2001. 166
Status of Coral Reefs of Australasia GBR Central Section: This section includes the accessible reefs for tourists and fishers in the Whitsunday Islands. Manta tows of 28 reefs found reef-wide coral cover to be 20% (range 5-43%), which is the same as 2000 report. Hard coral cover on the northeast facing sites of 18 reefs showed 28% cover. Outbreaks of COTS in the north of the section have resulted in declines in coral cover since the 2000 report, while reefs in the south generally have increasing coral cover. The pattern of COTS outbreaks is that they appear first in the north of the Cairns Section and then follow a wave-like pattern of outbreaks moving south. This is similar to what was observed in the 1980s. It is presumably driven by southerly drift of larvae with the East Australian Current. Some inshore reefs in the south of the section were severely bleached in 2002. GBR Mackay-Capricorn Section: This is the southern end of the GBR and contains the remote Pompey Group and the Swain Reefs as well as the Capricorn-Bunkers which have been studied intensively from the Heron and One Tree Island research stations. There was high average coral cover on all parts of 15 reefs of 36% (range 17-61%), with consistently high reef-wide coral cover on outer-shelf reefs in the Pompey Group and the Capricorn- Bunkers. Intensive surveys of NE facing sites on 11 reefs in the Swains and Capricorn Bunkers had mean hard coral cover estimated at 41% in 2001. Outbreaks of COTS on the Swain reefs do not follow the episodic pattern of outbreaks in northern sections. Starfish numbers have been increasing slowly here since surveys started in 1992 and in 2001, 4 of the 7 reefs surveyed had outbreaking populations. Some inshore fringing reefs were severely bleached in 2002. The results of 18 years of observing crown-of-thorns starfish populations show an apparent ‘wave’ pattern of the coral predator, starting in the north, around Latitude 12°S and moving steadily southward towards Latitude 19°S. This figure illustrates a ‘wave’ that started in 1990-91 in the north and has progressed through 1,000km during 12 years. The figure shows the earlier ‘wave’ between 18 and 20°S which is the remnant of an outbreak that had started in the early 80s. The second ‘wave’ arrived at the same reefs at 18°S about 17 years later. The spots are of outbreak populations on reefs at that latitude. An animation of the ‘wave’ can be viewed on the AIMS website: www.aims.gov.au/monmap/COTSAnimation/COTS.htm 167
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Status of Coral Reefs of the World:
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FOREWORD Our two governments have r
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CONTENTS Countries, States and Terr
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COUNTRIES, STATES AND TERRITORIES A
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Countries, States and Territories S
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INTRODUCTION We are pleased to endo
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Introduction Some of the larger fou
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Introduction Coral reefs are coming
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CLIVE WILKINSON A
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Executive Summary This report, howe
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Executive Summary GLOBAL AND REGION
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Executive Summary There is clear ev
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Executive Summary Key sites chosen
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Executive Summary • Europa and Sc
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Executive Summary CORAL REEF TARGET
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Executive Summary ICRI OPERATING UN
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Executive Summary COLLAPSE OF CORAL
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Executive Summary Prognosis for the
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Executive Summary concern is an out
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Executive Summary Southern Tropical
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Executive Summary Achievements in E
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12. STATUS OF THE CORAL REEFS IN MI
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Status of the Coral Reefs in Micron
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13. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE HA
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Hawaii
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14. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE U.
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Status of Coral Reefs in the US Car
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15. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE NO
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Northe
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16. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS OF MESOAM
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Status of Coral Reefs of Mesoameric
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17. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE EA
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Easter
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18. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN SOUTHE
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Status of Coral Reefs in Southern T
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19. SPONSORING ORGANISATIONS, CORAL
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Sponsoring Organisations, Coral Ree
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#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

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