GREAT BARRlER REEF - Saint Ignatius' Moodle Community

Contents
What’s the issue? Great Barrier Reef under threat 4
What is the Great Barrier Reef? 6
A timeline of the Great Barrier Reef 8
Biological importance of the Great Barrier Reef 10
Economic importance of the Great Barrier Reef 12
Cultural and historical importance of the Great
Barrier Reef 14
How the Great Barrier Reef is currently protected 16
The current health of the Great Barrier Reef 18
Threats to the Great Barrier Reef: Climate change 20
Threats to the Great Barrier Reef: Overfishing 22
Threats to the Great Barrier Reef: Pollution 24
Future threats to the Great Barrier Reef:
Tourism, pest species and disease 26
The future of the Great Barrier Reef 28
Viewpoints: Should we be doing more to
protect the Great Barrier Reef? 30
Glossary 31
Index 32
Explore the debate about saving
our unique coral reefs
Glossary words
When a word is printed in bold click on it
to find its meaning.

An issue is an important topic of interest or discussion that has two or more
opposing sides. Issues are often controversial matters that stimulate debate within
the media and community. How to address the threats facing the Great Barrier
Reef is one of the most hotly debated issues in Australia today.
Why is protecting the Great Barrier Reef an issue?
The Great Barrier Reef is important to Australia for its high biodiversity, its economic importance
to the fishing and tourism industries, and its cultural and historical significance. Despite being
one of the best-protected reefs in the world, the Great Barrier Reef’s health is declining. This has
prompted debate about whether more should be done to protect it.
What makes the Great
Barrier Reef so ‘great’?
• It is the largest coral reef ecosystem in
the world. Its coral reefs cover an area of
around 20 000 square kilometres.
• It is home to around 10 000 species of
animals and 500 different seaweeds.
Why is the Great Barrier
Reef under threat?
The health of the Great Barrier Reef has been
declining because of human activities ever
since Europeans settled in Australia. More
recently, the effects of climate change are also
threatening the Reef.
What is the effect of
these threats?
The effect of threats to the Great Barrier Reef
is that the Reef’s water is becoming warmer,
cloudier, more polluted and more acidic.
These changes in water quality are killing coral
and reducing biodiversity.
Major threats affecting the health of the Great Barrier Reef
Threat
Climate change
Overfishing
Tourism
Pollution
(catchment run-off or
shipping accidents)
Problems caused
Increases seawater temperature and acidity and raises the sea level, which leads to coral
bleaching
Increases storm activity, which breaks corals
Decreases the number of a species in an area, which affects other species in the food web
Potentially damages the coral reef and disturbs species
Poisons, chokes or entangles species
Pest species
Pests and diseases kill native species
You decide…
In this book you can learn about the various
issues surrounding the Great Barrier Reef.
Like a good debate, the book will present you
with the key facts and viewpoints, providing
information that will help you develop and
justify your own opinions and arguments.
4
The Great Barrier Reef stretches more than 2000
kilometres along the northeast coast of Australia.
Fishing is a popular tourist activity on the Reef,
but it can also cause harm to the ecosystem.
5
Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

The Great Barrier Reef is not a single structure. It is a complex ecosystem made
up of around 2900 coral reefs, 900 islands and thousands of plant and animal
species. Like all coral reefs, the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem is very fragile.
How is the Great Barrier
Reef formed?
It took thousands of years for the Great Barrier
Reef to form. All coral reefs are made by
small animals called hard coral polyps. They
attach to a solid surface and make hard outer
skeletons to support their
bodies. After they die, their
skeletons remain and these
form the coral reef.
Why is the Great Barrier Reef
fragile?
Corals get energy to survive from tiny plants living inside
them. These plants need sunlight to make that energy.
Coral bleaching happens when the corals become
stressed and eject the coloured plants. The corals’ white
skeletons become visible, making them appear bleached.
Coral bleaching can be caused by unusually high or low
water temperature, light levels and salinity, as well as
pollution and disease. Corals may or may not recover
from bleaching, depending on how long the cause of
stress continues.
Healthy communities of
marine life require a healthy
environment and we need
to ensure that our activities
do not have any detrimental
impacts on the rich and
diverse communities that
make Australian seas such
special habitats.
Dr Tony Ayling, marine biologist
on the Great Barrier Reef, 2008
How old is the
Great Barrier
Reef?
The current living Reef is
thought to be between 6000
and 8000 years old.
6
Coral polyps have tentacles that catch small
pieces of food floating in the water.
The Great Barrier Reef is a complex ecosystem. Changing even one aspect of
the Reef’s ecosystem could upset the balance of the whole Reef.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

The Great Barrier Reef has been through many changes over millions of
years. Since the 1900s, many important laws have been introduced to
protect the Reef.
Date Event Date Event Date Event Date Event
8
500 000
years
ago
1770
1800
1900
500 000 years ago
The sea floor on which the Reef sits is
formed.
60 000 years ago
People begin living along the coast.
8000–6000 years ago
The sea level reaches its current height and
the Reef as we know it today begins to form.
1770
British explorer,
Captain James
Cook, runs aground
on the Reef.
1800s
Coral islands in the Reef are mined for
guano (bird dung), which is used for
fertiliser, and lighthouses are built.
1911
The SS Yongala sinks in the central Reef
during a cyclone, with 122 passengers and
crew lost.
1928
The first major scientific investigation of the
Reef is carried out.
1930
1950
1960
1970
1930s
The first hotel resorts are built on islands of
the Reef.
1952
The Fisheries Act
protects all turtle
species and
dugongs in the
Reef from
commercial fishing.
1960
The Whaling Act protects right, humpback
and blue whales from commercial fishing
and restricts the taking of fin, sei and sperm
whales.
1960s
Scientists first become aware of damage
to the Reef from crown-of-thorns starfish
outbreaks.
1963
Applications for oil and mineral exploration
in the Reef trigger protests from the
community.
1971
Mining and drilling operations in the Reef
area are suspended. They are later banned.
1975
1980
1990
2000
1975
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
(GBRMPA) and Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park are are formed to protect the Reef and
its surrounding waters.
1981
The Reef is added to the World Heritage List
by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
1983
The first permit for traditional hunting
and fishing in the Reef is issued,
acknowledging Indigenous people’s
longstanding use of the sea for food.
1994
The first native title claims are lodged for
areas within the Reef.
1998
Warmer sea temperatures cause major coral
bleaching.
2001
Under Queensland
regulations,
commercial trawling
operations in the
Reef must now be
fitted with devices in their nets to help
reduce bycatch.
2002
2005
2010
2002
Warmer sea
temperatures
cause major
coral bleaching.
2003
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning
Plan is introduced, restricting human
activities in some areas.
2005
The first agreement allowing traditional
owners to continue traditional hunting
of protected turtle and dugong species is
signed.
2006
Coral bleaching occurs in the southern Reef
region.
2009
The Great Barrier Reef Protection
Amendment Bill is introduced to reduce
pollution in catchment run-off. Some critics
argue that the Bill discriminates against
farmers.
2010
MV Shen Neng 1 runs aground in the
southern Reef.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It makes up
about one tenth of the world’s coral reefs. It is one of the places with the greatest
biodiversity in the world.
High biodiversity
The Great Barrier Reef is home to
many rare animal and plant species.
It has more than 10 000 animal
species and around 500 species of
seaweed.
Like all fish species
living in the Great Barrier
Reef, this Potato cod is
vulnerable to changes in
the ecosystem.
Approximate number of species
living in the Great Barrier Reef
Type of plant or animal
Corals 400
Seaweed 500
Fish 1500
Molluscs (e.g. shellfish) 5000
Echinoderms (e.g. sea urchins
and sea stars)
600
Mammals (e.g. whales, dolphins) 31
Birds 200
Reptiles
Number of species
6 species of sea turtles,
14 species of sea snakes
Habitats in the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park includes many habitats, such as coral reefs, seagrass
meadows, deep ocean areas, shorelines and islands. These habitats help to maintain biodiversity
by providing species with shelter, feeding grounds and nesting sites.
Biological resources
Humans use the rich biodiversity of the Great
Barrier Reef for food, employment, income
and enjoyment. The Great Barrier Reef’s
ecosystem is particularly important to the
Australian tourism and fishing industries –
without it they would probably collapse.
I’m fortunate in that I’ve lived
a time when it was there in
all of its beauty and providing
masses and masses of … fish
for people to eat.
Frank Cooper, small scale
commercial fisher, 2007
10
This shark relies on its reef habitat for shelter and food. Life on the Reef is
in delicate balance, so any change that has an impact on one species can affect
others, which can affect our fishing and tourism industries.
Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1
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The fishing and tourism industries in the Great Barrier Reef make a substantial
contribution to the Australian economy. Between 2006 and 2007, these industries
generated around $5.4 billion. Shipping routes through the Great Barrier Reef also
boost local industries and the economy.
Tourism
Two million tourists visit the Great Barrier
Reef each year. They contribute around
$5.1 billion to the national economy. Tourists
can choose from a range of activities,
including sightseeing, swimming, fishing,
sailing, snorkelling, scuba diving, jet skiing
and cruising.
Busy shipping lanes
Several shipping routes pass through the Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park. They link ten major
ports in the Great Barrier Reef region, and
assist local and international industries. Ships
carry cargo such as live cattle, oil, chemicals,
sugar, coal and iron ore.
Commercial fishing
The Great Barrier Reef’s various commercial fishing industries are an
important source of employment and income. They contribute around $139
million each year to the Australian economy. Many animals are caught,
including fish, prawns, sea cucumbers, trochus (a kind of snail) and coral.
Methods of collection include deep trawling, netting, line fishing and diving.
Recreational fishing
Recreational fishing expenses, such as equipment hire, boat hire and fishing
permits, also contribute to the national economy. Recreational fishing by local
residents and visiting tourists makes up about a third of total fishing in the
Great Barrier Reef. Local residents alone made over 14 million trips to the
Great Barrier Reef in 2007.
A marine highway
In 2007, more than 3500 ships
made over 9700 voyages through
the Great Barrier Reef.
12
Tourists pay for the chance to experience the spectacular underwater
beauty of the Great Barrier Reef.
Commercial fishing on the Great Barrier Reef supplies us with seafood
and makes an important contribution to the national economy.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

The Great Barrier Reef is an important part of our cultural heritage. The Reef is
important to Indigenous Australians, and it contains sites important in Australia’s
maritime history.
Indigenous land and sea
country
More than 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander groups live in the Great Barrier
Reef area. For over 60 000 years it has
been their land and sea country, and they
are its traditional owners. The area includes
important sacred and ceremonial sites, rock
art and fish traps.
Traditional use of the Great Barrier
Reef’s resources
Traditional owners hunt, fish and collect the
Reef’s resources, including barramundi,
eels, crayfish, oysters, crabs, turtle eggs and
dugongs. Whereas once wooden canoes and
spears were used, now motor boats, spear
guns and fishing rods are preferred. Under
Traditional Use Marine Resources Agreements
(TUMRAs), traditional owners are allowed to
continue hunting some protected species.
Native title
Native title recognises that Indigenous
Australians hold rights to the places where
they still practise their traditional laws and
customs. Several native title claims exist for
areas within the Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park, and one has been accepted.
… as Indigenous [people],
we need to eat our turtle
to sustain our life and our
cultural practices.
Stephen Ambar, Head Ranger,
Hammond Island
Australia’s maritime
history
In the 1800s, the Great Barrier Reef
was a major trade route, supplying
products such as wool, cattle
and wheat to Queensland’s early
settlements. It was also an affordable
way to travel to other countries. Sea
routes through the Reef still link
regional Queensland today.
Shipwrecks and lighthouses
More than 30 shipwrecks and many
lighthouses provide an important
physical link to past events, situations
and people. In the past, ship’s crews
relied on lighthouses, maps and prior
experience to steer around dangerous
shallow sections and coral reef
outcrops. Many tourists visit the sites
of shipwrecks in the Great Barrier Reef
area to learn more about Australia’s
maritime history.
The Endeavour
Captain James Cook’s ship, The Endeavour,
hit a coral outcrop in the Great Barrier Reef
in 1770. Cook and his crew camped at
what is now called Cooktown for nearly two
months while making repairs. Then they
sailed south, where Cook claimed the east
coast of Australia as British territory.
14
Indigenous Australians have used spears to fish in the Great Barrier Reef
area for thousands of years.
Lighthouses such as this one helped guide ships through the Great Barrier
Reef’s dangerous waters.
15
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Many of the human activities that help Australia’s economy threaten the Great
Barrier Reef. Management decisions aim to balance the protection of the Reef with
its sustainable use.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which is 344 400 square kilometres in size, was formed in
1975. It includes reefs, sea areas, islands and many other habitats. It is jointly managed by the
Australian and Queensland Governments through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
(GBRMPA), which was also created in 1975. The GBRMPA makes management decisions and
laws to ensure the Park is protected and its use is sustainable. Around 100 officers from the
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) enforce these laws throughout the Park.
The cost of protection
In 2010, the Australian Government
dedicated $48 million to the long-term
protection and sustainable use of the
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
World Heritage protection
In 1981, the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) recognised the Great Barrier
Reef’s outstanding value by declaring it a
World Heritage Site. Australia agreed to be
responsible for protecting the Reef for the
world’s benefit. Conservation and research
programs were encouraged to support
Australia’s mission.
Management of the Great
Barrier Reef
In 2009, an independent study found that
effective management of the Reef is being
limited by a number of factors. For different
management areas, assessors observed a lack
of overall planning, resources, coordination,
information and enforcement.
Challenges for park managers
Park managers face many challenges. For
example, only 100 officers patrol the whole
Park. Also, numerous factors threaten the
Reef, and some come from beyond the Park
where managers have little authority. In
addition, effective decisions must be based on
a broad but thorough understanding of many
subjects and gaps still exist in our scientific
knowledge.
16
A park officer’s job includes monitoring water quality, as well as educating
visitors, performing maintenance duties, patrolling and issuing permits
and fines.
To monitor the health of the Great Barrier Reef closely and effectively,
many more officers would be needed.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

The fragile Great Barrier Reef ecosystem is under stress and its health is declining.
Reduced water quality
Healthy coral reef ecosystems need clean saltwater.
Catchment run-off from nearby farms is introducing soil
sediment, fertiliser and pesticide poisons into the Reef’s
waters. The water is becoming cloudier, which prevents
sunlight from reaching the corals. Climate change is
increasing water temperature, making it more acidic, and
raising the sea level. These factors are working together
to kill marine animal and plant species. It is also making
them more vulnerable to disease.
For much of the Great
Barrier Reef, the chemical
environment has deteriorated
significantly, especially close
to developed areas. This trend
is expected to continue.
Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park Authority, Outlook Report,
2009
Threatened species
So few of some species are left in parts of the Great Barrier Reef that they
are in danger of becoming extinct in the region. Examples include triton
shells, barramundi, some sharks, turtles and
dugongs. Numbers of plant-eating dugongs
are so low in the southern Reef region that the
plant populations have been affected. The food
web and whole Reef ecosystem have changed,
perhaps forever.
Threatened dugongs
Dugongs were commercially hunted in the
Great Barrier Reef until 1976. More recently,
deaths have been caused by accidental
capture in fishing nets, illegal hunting,
pollution, disease and injury by boats.
South of Cooktown, only 3 per cent remain
compared to 40 years ago.
The effect of pollution on the Great Barrier Reef’s water
Aspect of water
quality
Change observed
Effect
Sediment Increased four to five times since European settlement Clouds water, killing corals
Nitrogen
Phosphorous
pH
Increased two to five times since European settlement
Increased four to ten times since European settlement
Decreased 0.1 units (becoming more acidic) since
European settlement
Promotes seaweed growth,
smothering corals
Promotes seaweed growth,
smothering corals
Decreases building of coral
skeletons
Sea temperature Has risen for long periods twice since 2002 Coral bleaching
Sea level Increased 3 milllimetres per year since 1991
Ultimately blocks light, killing
corals
18
The number of dugongs in the southern Great Barrier Reef remains low, despite
protection areas being set up and Indigenous Australians agreeing to decrease
traditional hunting.
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Threats to the Great Barrier Reef:
Climate change
Climate change poses the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef. It is caused
by increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the
air trapping the sun’s heat. Climate change affects the Great Barrier Reef in
many ways.
Warmer seas
As more of the Sun’s heat is trapped in the Earth’s
atmosphere, the sea becomes warmer. The average
annual water temperature in the Great Barrier Reef
is rising, leading to more cases of coral bleaching.
It could be one to three degrees Celsius warmer by
2100. Two severe bleaching events have already
occurred since 1998.
Impacts from climate change
have already been witnessed
and all parts of the [Great
Barrier Reef] ecosystem are
vulnerable to its increasing
effects, with coral reef habitats
the most vulnerable.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority, 2009
Acidification
When there are high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air, some enters seawater and
combines with it to make acid. This acidification slows or stops reef-building by corals by
stopping them from making their skeletons. Corals weaken and break. Water in the Great Barrier
Reef has already become measurably more acidic. Scientists predict that the process will speed
up in the future.
Rising sea level
Climate change causes the sea level to rise in two ways. As seawater warms, it expands and fills
more space. Also, as polar ice melts, it adds more water to the sea. In the Great Barrier Reef, the
sea level has risen around three millimetres each year since 1991. If this continues, sunlight will
stop reaching the reef, and corals will die.
More frequent and severe storms
Climate change is predicted to lead to more frequent and more severe storms. Storms break
coral reefs. Rapid climate change would devastate the Great Barrier Reef’s animals and plants.
They would not have time to adapt.
20
The effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef include rising water
temperature, sea level and acidity, and predicted increased storm activity.
Storms can break off coral. This piece of Staghorn coral will die because
it has been broken from its base.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

Despite fishing restrictions and zoning laws being introduced, overfishing continues
to threaten both the Great Barrier Reef’s biodiversity and its fishing industries.
Overfishing
Overfishing threatens the Reef because it
leaves so few breeding animals in the wild
that populations may not ultimately survive.
Sometimes target species are overfished.
These are the species that fishers aim to
catch, such as coral trout. Sometimes species
that are accidentally caught are overfished.
They are caught along with the target species,
and are called bycatch. Bycatch makes up
more than half the total annual catch in the
Great Barrier Reef.
Fishing tours
kept 1%
Recreational
fishers kept
11%
Reducing bycatch
Prawn trawlers must now carry special
devices fitted to their nets to give bycatch
species a chance of escape. An opening in
the top of the trawl net lets fish and turtles
escape. Prawns are poorer swimmers and
cannot escape.
Indigenous fishers kept

Pollution is a serious threat to the fragile Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. It includes
chemicals, detergents, sediment, sewage, litter and oil.
Pollution in catchment run-off
Catchment run-off comes from the rainwater that falls on land, drains into rivers and flows to the
sea. It brings with it chemical weedkillers, fertilisers, soil sediment, litter, detergents and sewage
from farms and cities. Catchment run-off threatens the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem because
it decreases water quality. Habitats near river mouths already show fewer corals and more
poisoned animals and plants.
The effects of pollution on the Reef
Type of pollution
Weed-killers, detergents
and poorly treated sewage
Fertilisers
Sediment from soil washed
from farms
Litter
Poisons and kills marine life
Impact on the Reef
Promotes growth of seaweeds, which smother and kill corals
Makes the water cloudy, blocking light and killing corals
Kills animals if they are trapped in it or eat it by mistake
Pollution from shipping
Ships pollute the Great Barrier Reef when they
collide with reefs and lose their loads or fuel
into the sea. Between 1999 and 2009 there
were up to three major shipping incidents in
the Reef area each year.
Grounding of the Shen Neng 1
In April 2010, the Chinese
coal ship Shen Neng 1 was
travelling at full speed through
restricted waters in the Reef.
It scraped a large area of reef,
causing severe damage to coral
and dispersing fragments of
poisonous paint. It became
grounded, and spilled between
two and four tonnes of oil.
Safety issues for shipping
in the Great Barrier Reef
Marine safety experts and
environmentalists want tighter
shipping laws and tougher
fines to better protect the Reef.
Some want all large ships in
the Reef region to be tracked
by satellite, with pilots to guide
them around reefs.
The cost of engaging a marine pilot for
the length of the reef is a mere $8000
to $10 000 ... Cutting costs on this
while risking our multibillion-dollar reef
tourism industry is unforgivable.
Greens Senate candidate, Larissa Waters,
Courier-Mail, 12 April 2010
24
Sediment and chemical pollution flow into the ocean and pollute
the Reef.
The Shen Neng 1 scraped along 2.5 kilometres of coral reef before coming to a stop.
Tonnes of oil were spilled onto the Reef. Recovery is expected to take decades.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

Some issues are not serious now but could threaten the Great Barrier Reef in the
future if left unaddressed. These include disturbance of the Reef’s ecosystem by
tourists, pest species and disease.
Tourism
The threat of tourism is greatest around Cairns, Port
Douglas and the Whitsunday Islands, where most tourists
to the Reef stay. Potential problems include coral being
damaged by boats, anchors, fishers, divers and illegal
souvenir hunters. Damage to coral takes decades to
recover. Animals may also be disturbed or injured.
Eco-certified tourism operators help to educate and
inform tourists in order to reduce these threats.
Eco-certified tourism
operators
More than 40 per cent of tourists to
the Great Barrier Reef use eco-certified
tourism operators. These companies
receive special training to minimise the
environmental impact of their own and
their customers’ activities in the Park.
Overfishing of the major predator of the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS),
the triton, may have helped cause COTS outbreaks. There are more COTS in
areas where the triton is fished than in non-fished zones.
Introduced pest species
26
Teaching tourists to ‘look but don’t touch’ is vital in keeping the Reef’s
fish healthy. Fish have a slime layer that protects them from germs, but it
is easily broken if touched.
Pest species, such as the Asian green mussel, sometimes ‘hitchhike’ from other countries on
visiting ships. Once in the Reef area, they compete with native species for food and habitats.
None of the 15 introduced species recorded by Queensland Ports currently threatens the Great
Barrier Reef’s biodiversity or its fishing industries.
Native pest species
Some native species also disturb the balance
of the ecosystem. The crown-of-thorns
starfish (COTS) is native to the Great Barrier
Reef. It feeds on live coral. COTS population
explosions, called outbreaks, can destroy
whole reefs. Scientists think that human
activities are a factor in causing outbreaks,
which have only been observed for the past 40
years.
Introduction of diseases
Introduced species could potentially bring
new diseases with them. Seven diseases are
already known to exist in the Reef’s corals.
Although coral disease in the Great Barrier
Reef has increased, it is not currently a major
threat.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

The future of the Great Barrier Reef looks grim because the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park Authority cannot directly protect the Reef from the worldwide threat
of climate change. However, addressing local threats gives the Reef a better
chance of resisting the effects of climate change.
Climate change
In the Great Barrier Reef area, climate change
is causing increased coral ble ching, sea
temperature, sea level and acidification. The
Reef’s future largely depends on how well
and how quickly the world adopts renewable
energy sources to decrease greenhouse gases.
Without swift global action, the Reef’s structure
and ecosystem will ultimately collapse.
The Great Barrier Reef Climate Change
Action Plan 2007–2012
This Action Plan aims to build the Reef’s
health and limit the impact of climate change.
Part of the funding from a ‘Caring for our
Country’ program, which has received $200
million dollars over five years, is going towards
putting the Action Plan into practice.
Pollution
Management actions are tackling the problem of pollution
entering the Reef. Recent improvements to nearby farming
practices have reduced pollution levels in catchment runoff.
Revisions to planning and development rules by the
Queensland Government address pollution coming from
coastal towns and cities. Maritime laws deal with pollution
coming from shipping. However, critics argue for stricter
laws, better enforcement and tougher fines.
I have seen the sediment
plume from the Fitzroy River
after the big ’90–’91 flood, that
was the one that killed all the
Reef out here at Keppel Island.
It was enormous.
Lionel Bevis, resident of Keppel
Island, 2007
… much of what will happen
to the Great Barrier Reef in
the future will be determined
by factors external to it and
Australia.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority, Outlook Report, 2009
Coastal
development
By 2026, the number of
people living beside the Great
Barrier Reef is predicted to
be almost 40 per cent higher.
Ongoing careful planning and
management will be needed
to minimise the impact of
pollution and habitat loss
from coastal development
on the Reef’s ecosystem.
28
Without swift, effective
global action against
climate change, coral
bleaching in the Great
Barrier Reef will become
more frequent and more
severe.
Coastal development
can destroy nearby
habitats and pollute
the Great Barrier
Reef ecosystem.
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1 Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

There are two sides to every issue. There are arguments both for and against doing
more to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Arguments for
hhIf there was more money and there were
more people to protect the Reef, better
management and planning decisions could
be made.
hhIf there were tighter controls on fishing,
fewer animals would be removed from their
habitats.
hhIf there were tighter controls on tourism,
there would be less damage to the Reef
from human activities.
hhIf there were tighter controls on shipping,
there would be fewer oil spills and ships
running aground.
Arguments against
hhIncreased protection would not address the
major threats of climate change.
hhIncreased protection could affect Australia’s
economy, because it is expensive and some
people employed in tourism or fishing
could lose their jobs.
hhIncreased protection could deny the rights
of Indigenous Australians (by restricting
traditional activities) and groups such as
fishers and farmers.
…ongoing efforts by State and
Commonwealth Authorities to reduce
local and regional pressures must be
maintained to maximise the resilience
of the GBR [Great Barrier Reef].
Australian Institute of Marine Science,
2009
Ultimately, if changes to the world’s
climate become too severe, no
management actions will be able to
climate-proof the Great Barrier Reef
ecosystem.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority, Outlook Report, 2009
What do you think?
Should we be doing
more to protect the Great
Barrier Reef?
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

acidification the process that makes water more acidic
biodiversity the variety of living things in a particular place
bycatch unwanted species caught by fishing nets and lines
catchment run-off rainwater that collects in an area and flows through rivers into the sea
climate change the process by which the world’s climate is changing due to an increase
in the levels of certain gases in the atmosphere
coastal development building on or using the land next to the sea
controversial a subject about which there is strong disagreement
coral bleaching when a major change in the environment stresses hard corals, causing
them to turn white
economy the system of organising goods and services
ecosystem a community of living and non-living things and the interactions between them
extinct having died out
food web a community of species that depend on each other for food
greenhouse gases gases such as carbon dioxide that trap heat in the atmosphere
habitats the places where animals and plants live
introduced species species brought to an area where they are not naturally found
native naturally found in a region or country
native title the recognition by Australian law that Indigenous people still practising their
traditional laws and customs in a place hold rights to that place
overfishing when so many individuals of a fish species are taken from an area that the
population’s future is threatened
pesticide a chemical used to kill pests such as insects
polluted made impure
predator an animal that lives by preying on other animals
renewable something that is not used up and is able to be renewed
salinity the concentration of salt in water or soil
sediment tiny bits of soil and stone that settle to the bottom of water
sustainable able to be used and conserved for the future
traditional owners the people who lived in a place first
trawling catching animals from the sea using a boat dragging a bag-like net
zoning dividing a place into different areas (or zones) for different activities
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1

A
acidification 21, 28
acidity 5, 18, 20
B
biodiversity 4, 5, 10, 11, 22, 27
bycatch 9, 22
C
catchment run-off 5, 9, 18, 24,
29
climate change 5, 18, 20–21,
28, 30
coastal development 29
commercial fishing 8, 13, 23
commercial trawling 9, 13
coral bleaching 5, 7, 9, 18, 20,
28
crown-of-thorns (COTS) starfish
8, 27
D
detergents 24
diseases 5, 7, 26, 27
dugongs 8, 9, 19
E
eco-certified tourism operators
26
economy 12, 13, 16, 23
ecosystem 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11,
18, 19, 20, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29,
30
F
farming 9,18, 24, 29, 30
fertilisers 8, 18, 24
fishing industry 11, 12, 13, 22,
23
food web 5, 19
G
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority (GBRMPA) 9, 16,
18, 20, 23, 28, 30
greenhouse gases 20
H
habitats 7, 11, 16, 20, 23, 24,
27, 29, 30
I
illegal fishing and hunting 19,
23, 26
Indigenous Australians 14, 19,
22, 30
introduced species 27
L
lighthouses 8, 15
litter 24
M
management 16, 17, 29, 30
N
native species 5, 27
native title 9, 14
O
oil 8, 12, 24, 25, 30
overfishing 5, 22–23, 27
P
pest species 5, 26, 27
pesticides 18
pollution 5, 7, 9, 18, 19, 24–25,
29
polyps 6
Q
Queensland Parks and Wildlife
Service (QPWS) 16
R
recreational fishing 13, 22
S
salinity 7
sea level 5, 8, 18, 20, 21, 28
sediment 18, 24, 29
sewage 24
sharks 11, 19, 23
Shen Neng 1 9, 25
shipping 5, 12, 25, 29, 30
shipwrecks 15
T
tourism 4, 5, 11, 12, 25, 26, 30
traditional owners 9, 14
turtles 8, 9, 10, 14, 19
U
United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) 9, 17
W
water quality 5, 18, 24
water temperature 5, 7, 9, 18,
20
world heritage 9, 17
Z
zoning 9, 22, 23
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Macmillan Digital Library: What’s the Issue? Set 2 © Michelle Atkins, Julie Murphy, Greg Reid, Geoff Thompson, Ashten Warfe/Macmillan Publishers Australia 2011 ISBN 978 1 4202 9209 1