Reef Environment | Potential Threats | Best Environmental Practices |

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is under pressure.  Threats to the Reef include overuse from tourism, fishing, farming, development on the coast and pollution both in the water and on the land. Everything we do on the reef, along the shore and on the land affect the life of fish, coral and all other marine animals in the Great Barrier Reef.

Tourism

Tourists at Port Douglas

Many tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef each year.  They participate in activities such as snorkelling, diving, boating, sailing and fishing, all of which can potentially impact on the Reef.

Sugar cane

The clearing of wetlands and other sensitive areas like riparian forests to grow sugar cane, has a major effect on parts of the Great Barrier Reef.  Also chemical fertilisers, that contain nitrogen, are used in the Sugar cane industry and unfortunately high levels leak into coastal waters.  New ways to manage these issues are currently being considered to ensure the Great Barrier Reef and the sugar industry can exist together.

Agriculture

Activities such as tree clearing and cattle grazing, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers, are threatening the Great Barrier Reef.  These practices cause erosion and the siltation of coastal waters, which can smother reef creatures such as coral.  The preservation of riparian vegetation and freshwater wetlands can help, as they filter out silt before it reaches the ocean.

Trawling - Queensland largest commercial fishery

Trawl Fishing

Trawl fishery is Queensland's largest commercial fishery.

The trawlers take mainly prawns and scallops from the Great Barrier Reef.   Although there are certain areas within the Marine Park where trawlers are not allowed to operate, they are still a major threat to other parts of the Reef.  Trawl nets often damage the seabed and coral.  Encouraging people in the industry to take care of the Reef and to abide by zoning rules is helping to decrease the amount of damage caused on the Reef by the trawl fishery industry.

Main threats to the animals and plants of the Great Barrier Reef

• Water quality on the Great Barrier Reef is a major issue in protecting the ecosystem.  The water quality has been affected by pollution from agricultural activities and the destruction of important wetlands and vegetation.
• Coastal mangrove clearing is a major cause of concern because coastal mangroves are an important habitat for many coastal species such as fish, prawns and crabs.  Many species rely on the mangroves for breeding, feeding and nursery grounds and will not survive if the mangroves are cleared.
• The introduction of exotic plants to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef have caused problems for the survival of many island ecosystems, as many native species have been displaced.
• Fishing by commercial and recreational fishers continues to put pressure on the reef in some areas.
• Humans occasionally disturb birds and their habitats on the islands of the Reef.  In some cases this has caused birds to desert their eggs and chicks.
• Global climate change may also affect the Great Barrier Reef through rising sea levels and increasing sea temperatures, which may cause coral bleaching.

 

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