Great Barrier Reef Overview

The Great Barrier Reef is located off the east coast of the Queensland mainland, Australia with a latitude of -18.193182° N and longitude of 147.45079° E. The reef covers 344,400 square kilometres earning the title of world’s largest reef, containing 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres and over 2,900 individual reefs. (figure 1) The reef is under great threat due to environmental and human induced issues. One of these issues being the crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks which lead to the inability for coral to regenerate and grow within the reef due to consumption. There have been at least two distinctive plans of management for this issue including eradication by injection of lethal substances and the physical removal resulting in termination. A second common issue causing destruction to the reef is marine wildlife destruction due to human influence, implementation of laws and site closures have been enforced for tourists and recreational users to ensure safety for the reefs. Overfishing is another human induced issue negatively impacting marine life in a domino effect. Programs organised by governing bodies involving setting regulations of total allowable commercial catches and creating designated fishing zones depending on the reef’s current health.

Crown-of-thorns starfish can possess a productive role in healthy reef conditions by consuming faster-growing corals, allowing the slower-growing corals the opportunity to regenerate and catch up enhancing the coral diversity of the Great Barrier Reef. However, this intensive consumption of coral by the crown-of-thorns starfish may also apply more stress on the reefs. Especially if the reefs are already struggling to recover from recurrent bleaching events, largely impacting the restoration efforts of the reef’s coral. Once crown-of-thorns starfish become overpopulated, they begin to pose a threat not only economically with the added costs for employment, equipment and program funding but also to the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. The starfish spikes or spines contain a poisonous toxin which is harmful to both humans and marine wildlife, negatively impacting Australia’s tourism and fishing industries.

A program labelled ‘The Crown-of-thorns Starfish Control Program’ was established in the year 2012 delivering the ideal response to population outbreaks, in coordination to the Marine Parks Crown-of-thorns Starfish Strategic Management Framework. The program involves manually culling starfish by sending vessels occupied by professionally trained crews to inject either bile salts or household vinegar into the starfish both of which have lethal affects. (figure 3). Surveillance and monitoring activities are conducted to ensure culling targets are met in locations with the greatest benefit, progress is measured, and management outcomes are sustained once they are reached.

The current program put in place to restore coral reefs by lowering the population of crown-of-thorns starfish is an effective and manageable plan of action. Its regular harvest of starfish and follow up monitoring activities demonstrate the commitment to restore the coral reefs. However not all 2,900 reefs can be attended to at once meaning culling has to be prioritised depending on which reefs are in the most need and best accessible by vessels. This may become a problem if more reefs are in dire need than can be attended to.

Physical removal of the starfish from the reef is recommended by The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. The physical removal involves experienced divers moving the starfish off the reef using wooden sticks, boat hooks, PVC pipe, metal spears or any other easily manipulated rod. The rods become necessary in the cases where the starfish hide in crevices suctioned onto the reef and need to be pried off in order to be removed. The starfish are placed in large canvas bags, rice/flour bags or mesh bags to be disposed of on land by burial or burning. If out at sea on a ship or boat the starfish may be placed into a large container with fresh water and left over 48 hours. Once enough time has passed disposal may be safely issued by leaving the starfish over the open ocean no less than 80.5 meters from shore (50 miles).

This management strategy is more dangerous than the previous mentioned injections as the bags may be pierced by the starfish spikes, poisoning the divers. It is still however manageable and effective as it reaches its end goal of minimising numbers of crown-of-thorns starfish in coral reefs.

Pollution to the reef although often done blindly it is not uncommon. Everyday chemicals such as sunscreen and lotions provided by tourists visiting the reef can wash off swimmers’ bodies and into the water. Although protective to us they have an opposite effect on marine wildlife causing harm to the reef’s residents and reef itself. Another issue with the large number of human encounters cause by tourism is damaging coral with physical contact. Most visitors will unintentionally touch, kick or trample coral when in the water, while scuba divers can also knock coral with their gear or kick up sediment all of which can break the coral or damage the coral tissues. (figure 4) Other risks include littering, changed animal behaviour from feeding or diver interactions, boat strikes to marine mammals and turtles and anchor damage to corals and seagrass meadows.

The Great Barrier Reef was placed on the World Heritage List in 1981 for all its colourful marine wildlife and unique ecosystem, attracting approximately two million tourists per year. The reef is a popular destination for recreational marine activities such as boating, swimming, snorkelling, fishing, turtle and whale watching and scuba diving all ways to enjoy the reefs beauty and biodiversity.

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Strict laws and rules have been put into place for tourists and tourist companies to minimise human contact and preserve coral. Fines and even jail time may be issued to those who fail to comply with the stated laws. These rules include:

• Staying off the bottom of the ocean
• Do not feed the turtles or other marine wildlife
• Do not litter
• Never touching corals
• Do not harass or capture marine wildlife
• Take nothng from the reef except photos

Hфving rules and laws put into place may be helpful for people to recognise that the reef is not a touch pool, especially if consequences are put into effect. Regular monitoring would have to take place in order to maintain the effectiveness of the beforementioned consequences. Otherwise some visitors may not follow instructions as there is no punishment for their actions.

Temporary site closures or exclusion zones may be put into place if it is believed to help reduce stress and improve outcomes for coral. When implicating site closures tourism companies and economic factories should be taken into consideration to ensure no losses are made.

Temporarily closing the marine park and or particular zones is and effective way of preserving wildlife as it allows periods of time for the coral to be completely untouched and undisturbed/ This can also give the coral a chance to restore itself. The only issues with park closure are the partnership or tourism losses made if people are not made aware prior to the momentary shutdown.

Overfishing has already shown a dangerously low decline in Australia’s fish stocks. Two main factors account for this issue; intensive fishing efforts by commercial and recreational fisheries, along with the low biological productivity of fish hence being unable to regenerate quickly. Almost 21% of species assessed in Australian waters were deemed overfished in 2005. In the case of a herbivorous species being overfished the amount of algae around the reefs would greatly increase posing a threat to the corals, the carnivorous species would then begin to decrease shortly after as they would have less options for food sources.

Management plans for fisheries within the Great Barrier Marine Park are made the responsibility of the Queensland Government through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. This includes limits to the number and size of fish allowed to be kept by recreational fishers, commercial licencing, seasonal closures, and setting of total allowable commercial catch. Areas of permitted fishing is managed in the Great Barrier Reef Park Authority by the Australian Government as a part of the 2003 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan.

Controlling aspects such as the areas fishing is permitted and the requirements each fish must meet to be taken allows the fish time to reproduce and build up numbers. It also gives carnivorous fish a sufficient source of nutrients. The Australian Institute of Marine Science long-term monitoring team reported that after less than two years of the suspension of fishing (in 2005-2006) the most important commercial fish species, coral trout, had increased in abundance by about 50% on mid- and outer-shelf reefs. Thus, proving the efficiency of this program.

The Great Barrier Reef faces endangerment as a result of crown-of-thorns starfish overpopulating, feeding off and destroying vital corals, high numbers of tourism year long, restricting regeneration processes of corals and behavioural habits of wildlife, and overfishing within the reef, dooming species to endangerment and killing off food sources for carnivorous fish. Multiple management strategies have been put into effect by governing authorities of the marine park. Two separate yet equally effective methods of eradication have been issued for the decrease of crown-of-thorns starfish within the reef. The second method does pose a higher risk in getting poisoned by the starfish spikes but done carefully and by trained professionals there is no harm. The approach taken to minimising the negative impact of gross tourism to the reef is more trust related meaning its enforcement could lack if proper supervision is not provided. Laws and rules have been published to protect the reefs wildlife only if followed appropriately, the second and stricter plan of action is temporarily closing off specific sites if not the whole park. Overfishing is delt with a set list of demands each species must meet to be removed from the reef, follow ups of water patrols must be included to continue the implementation of this request. Secondly fishing area zones are controlled in the event of rehabilitating the reef in the areas that need it most, giving them time to grow back and regain nutrients.