Lessons learned from 30 years of managing the

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

John Tanzer

Executive Director GBRMPA

Marine Conservation Conference, Stralsund

May 2006

Outline of talk

• Key dates • Overview of size & complexity of GBR• Main management tools, zoning• Key issues facing GBR• The rezoning program (RAP) • Some lessons learnt

Key dates - GBRMP

1975 - Act passed; Marine Park boundary only1983 - first Zoning Plan completed for part only1988 - entire MP zoned (four major sections zoned

sequentially)1995- Plans of Mgt (Cairns, Whitsundays)1998 - major restructure, Critical Issues approach

Key dates cont

1998 - two sections rezoned, but recognition of need for GBR-wide representative approach; RAP commenced

2000 – Trawl Management Plan 2002 – Reef Water Quality Protection Plan2003 - new ZP to Parliament; and approved2004 - new ZP came into effect on 1 July 2005 – Implementation, Community Partnerships

The Great Barrier Reef – roughly equivalent to the size of the Baltic Sea...

….but only one adjoining State!

GBRMP is much more than just coral reefs ….

GBRMP also includes:• mangroves• sandy & coral cays• continental islands • seagrass beds (shallow & deepwater)• algal & sponge ‘gardens’• sandy and muddy inter-reefal communities• deep ocean troughs.

Importance of marine connectivity

(Source: R Kelly, ACRS)

The Red Emperor spends different stages of its life cycle

utilising different habitats

Socio-economic values

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Industry value

($million)

Tourism Beef SugarHorticulture

Rec. FishingCom. Fishing

Reef and Catchment Industries (1999 -2000)

Productivity Commission Report, 2003

Registered Recreational Vessels – GBR Catchment

Entire GBR Marine Park protected by law since 1975…

… managed as a multiple-usemarine park, with zoning as one of

the main management tools….

Variety of management tools for a multi-use GBRMP

• Legislation (GBRMP Act & Regulations) • Zoning Plan – subordinate legislation• Permits• Education• Surveillance and enforcement• Plans of Management• Site Plans/Special Management Areas• Economic instruments (eg. EMC)• Best Environmental Practices/Codes of Practice• Partnerships

Zoning for multiple use

Complementary management

• Federal & State (Queensland) Governments cooperate in management of the GBR.

• Field management undertaken mainly by the Queensland agencies including:

– Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service

– Queensland Boating & Fisheries Patrol

– Queensland Water Police

Complementary management (cont)

• Other Federal agencies cooperate in surveillance & enforcement:

• Coastwatch• Customs• Commonwealth Department of Public

Prosecutions• Australian Federal Police• Australian Maritime Safety Authority

The Great Barrier Reef Regionis ‘under pressure’…

Pressures include:• Downstream effects of landuse (water quality

issues)• Increasing fishing effort and impacts• Increasing coastal developments• Shipping & pollution incidents• Increasing tourism and recreation• Climate change/coral bleaching

• > $5.1 billion industry• Management of competing and

conflicting use• New technologies• Increasing range and types of

services

Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable Fishing

• Recreational fishing ~ $610 million• Commercial fishing ~ $150 million

• Trawlers, reef line, inshore net & harvest

• Indigenous fishing

Species Conservation

• Dugong • Turtles (6 spp)• Whales and dolphins• Sharks• Other biodiversity values

INDIGENOUS CO-MANAGEMENT

• Traditional hunting and fishing

• Co-operative approach

• Traditional Use of marine Resource Agreements

Hard at work

Water Quality

• Sediment, nutrients & contaminants from land• Management of diffuse and point sources of pollution• Catchment degradation

• Loss of wetlands & habitats• Sewage & vessel discharges• Oil spills

• Coastal developments

Coastal Growth / Sea Change

• Increasing demands on coastal resources, land, infrastructure and services

• Increasing population growth in coastal zone

• Pressure on coastal councils

• Engagement of coastal community

Climate change

• Impacts dramatic, immediate & significant

• 2 mass coral bleaching events on GBR – 1998 & 2002

• Bleaching in southern GBR 2006

Working to build resilience

Pre - RAP Zoning

Late 1990s

Preserv Zone Preserv Zone ((‘‘no gono go’’)) 0.1%

Marine Nat ParkMarine Nat Park ((‘‘no takeno take’’)) 4.6%

Scien ResearchScien Research 0.01%

Buffer Zone Buffer Zone (trolling only)(trolling only) 0.1%

Conserv Park Conserv Park (limited fishing)(limited fishing) 0.6%

Habitat Prot Habitat Prot (no trawling)(no trawling) 15.2%

General Use General Use (reasonable use)(reasonable use) 77.9%

Revised Zoning

Plan

1 July 2004

Preserv ZonePreserv Zone 0.2% (0.1%)

Marine Nat ParkMarine Nat Park 33.3% (4.6%)

Scien ResearchScien Research 0.05% (0.01%)

Buffer ZoneBuffer Zone 2.9% (0.1%)

Conserv ParkConserv Park 1.5% (0.6%)

Habitat Prot Habitat Prot 28.2% (15.2%)

General UseGeneral Use 33.8% (77.9%)

250 km offshore

Huge changes between the Draft Zoning Plan and the Final Zoning Plan

DRAFT Zoning Plan

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Data

FINAL Zoning Plan

Changes to recognising recreational fishing concerns

70% of nominated GPS marks in submissions remain fishable and many community zoning requests were implemented

"The Western Warregoes is one of the most important fishing grounds in this area….."

Deepwater National Park - "A blue/yellow strip"

Major variations evident from Draft Zoning Plan to suit commercial and recreational fishing interests

"Boult and Fitzroy reefs to be zoned blue….."

“Llewellyn Reef to be located in a green zone”

• A 3-fold difference in coral trout biomass between zones – blue (fished) & green (no-take)

• A 2-fold difference in density of prey fish of coral trout between zones

• Suggests a trophic effect of fishing and zoning

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Whitsunday Islands Palm IslandsAve

rage

den

sity

per

site

(150

0m2 )

+/- S

E

BlueGreen

P < 0.001

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Whitsunday Islands Palm Islands

Ave

rage

bio

mas

s (g

) per

site

(1

500m

2 ) +/-

SE

BlueGreen

Graham, Evans and Russ (2003)

How critical was the rezoning program?

• The rezoning alone will not save the GBR…. but it is a fundamental component, essential for conserving habitats and ecosystem processes, to ensure the Great Barrier Reef remains GREAT for the future.

Key strategies to increase the resilience of the GBR

• Improving water quality (Reef Water Quality Protection Plan)• Increasing biodiversity protection (Representative Areas

Program)• Promoting sustainable fisheries (Queensland Fisheries

Management Plans)• Developing sound policy re effects of climate change on reefs

(Climate Change Action Plan)

Various community and Various community and stakeholder committees have been stakeholder committees have been

established to assist GBRMPAestablished to assist GBRMPA1. GBR Consultative Committee is required by the Act

and has statutory obligations;

2. Four Reef Advisory Committees (one for each of four critical issues; voluntary);

3. Ten Local Marine Advisory Committees along GBR coast (all voluntary)

4. All are advisory and have specific terms of reference, roles & responsibilities

CommunityCommunity--based monitoringbased monitoring

• CAP Reef• Reef Water Quality Protection Plan

monitoring• Eye on the Reef• Bleach Watch• COTS Watch• Seagrass Watch• Reef Check

a sound legislative and regulatory framework (GBRMP Act 1975 & EPBC Act 1999)

ecosystem-level management … and management influence over a wider context than just the MPA/WHA

national consensus and international recognition that the GBR is ‘iconic’ and worth conserving

well developed institutional arrangements with the adjacent jurisdiction (Queensland) including complementary legislation

ongoing research and monitoring programs, prioritised to provide information for management

Reasons for effective management of the GBRMP?

Lessons learnt• Must integrate fisheries into ecosystem

management• Align research, monitoring and management• Avoid ‘scientific holding patterns’• Effective compliance• Transparency and public debate• Effective communication – tell the story• Management requires public support• Community participation and ownership

au

Thank youThank you

For more information

www.gbrmpa.gov.au