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

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
WHS
LORD HOWE ISLAND, AUSTRALIA – WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Lord Howe Island is 700km northeast of Sydney in the South Pacific Ocean, and is a
remarkable example of a isolated oceanic island. It boasts spectacular volcanic
topography and numerous endemic species, primarily birds. The entire island region,
including Lord Howe Island, Admiralty Islands, Mutton Bird Islands, Balls Pyramid
and associated coral reefs and marine areas, was inscribed on the World Heritage
List in 1982. It covers approximately 1,540ha of land area and a total of land and sea
area of 136,300ha. Complementary to its status as a World Heritage Area, it is also a
Marine Park that consists of State and, more recently, Commonwealth waters (June
2000). The management plan for the Commonwealth component of the Park came
into effect in September 2002.
The island supports the most southern true coral reef in the world, but the reef
habitat differs considerably from the more northerly warm water reefs. The
fluctuations of hot and cold water around the island have induced the development
of an unusual mixture of temperate and tropical organisms, for example, 477 fish
species have been recorded in 107 families of which 4% have not been recorded
elsewhere other than in Norfolk Island-Middleton Reef waters.
There is currently a resident population of 300 people on Lord Howe. Tourism is the
major component of the island economy and about 300 to 400 tourists may be
present simultaneously during the summer. Walking, nature study, bird watching or
photography, are the major recreation activities, with the coral reefs attracting many
scuba divers and snorkellers. Interpretation and environmental education activities,
are proposed in the current management plan.
Lord Howe Island has attracted considerable scientific interest ever since its
‘discovery’ and a succession of scientific expeditions in the 19th century quickly
established its unique natural history. In the early 1970s the Australian Museum
undertook a terrestrial environmental survey of the island which led to a
recommendation to establish an extensive land reserve. The biodiversity and
oceanography of the shallow portion of the marine environment has been
extensively studied and this environment appears to be in good condition.
The Lord Howe Island Board administers the management of Lord Howe Island and
the smaller offshore islands. The management plan for the greater area states that
fundamental management objectives include: maintenance and protection of
landforms, plant and animal populations, and natural land-forming processes;
reduction of human disturbance and the impact of introduced species; restoration of
damaged areas and assurance of continued livelihood of the local population.
Ecological Monitoring: The Lord Howe Island Marine Park management plan applies
to Australian Government waters (3 to 12nm offshore) and indicates that
Environment Australia will liase with research organizations and other stakeholders in
the development and implementation of monitoring activities. The activities will
include monitoring the status of the ecosystems of the park with non-intrusive
techniques and conducting further survey work to build on existing knowledge of
conservation values of the park.
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