The new zoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) makes a strong effort to maximize the size and type of ecosystems that are protected as no-take areas, but this zoning does not address a lot of other negative impacts within the reef. Hutchings outlines human impacts on the reef and overfishing is only one of many. What about runoff from land or coral bleaching? I studied abroad in Australia last summer and, after talking about the GBR and visiting it for a day, these issues seem really prevalent. Talking to the crew of our reef trip, it seemed that fishing regulations are fairly strict and generally followed: you can’t spearfish wearing SCUBA gear because it gives you an unfair advantage and if you get caught fishing in a prohibited area, the fine is really high. The no-take areas seem to be working.
People I talked to, however, mentioned that the coral is dying from coral bleaching and the humpback whales that generally migrate from Antarctica to Cairns are not coming as far north anymore because water temperatures are warming up. No-take zones may indirectly help this issue, but the management approach seems to be ignoring larger and longer term issues. Is it really an ecosystem-based approach?
Concerning land runoff, the Queensland government recently approved the construction of a mega resort and casino in Cairns called Aquis Resorts. Aquis sits at the mouth of a river, requires the removal of a mangrove forest, and lies directly on the coast next to one of the largest tourist hubs for the GBR. The construction and use of this resort will immensely impact both the ecosystem of the GBR and the economy of the area and yet the GBRMP is not fighting it. While I think it is good that so much effort and thought was put into increasing the no-take areas, I’m disappointed that issues like climate change and construction along the reef are not being addressed in the rezoning of GBRMP.
Links
http://www.livescience.com/21979-humpback-whales-antarctica-migration.html
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