Sustainable Management

Question 1

Commercial fishing

Answer 1

• commercial fishing is largest extractive activity in the marine park + an important contributor to Australia’s seafood industry
• 8000 tonnes of seafood harvested annually + generates $104 million annually

Question 2

Management of commercial fishing

Answer 2

• limits on the number of fishing licences
• spatial + seasonal closures
• restrictions on fishing vessel size
• restrictions on the length, mesh size + number of nets used

Question 3

Commercial fishing zoning

Answer 3

• trawl fisheries are Queensland’s largest commercial fishery = primarily use otter trawl nets which sweep the seabed
• zoning restricts trawling to the general use (light blue) zone in the Great Barrier Reef
• recreational fishers caught poaching from Marine National Park (green) zone will face a fine of $3130

Question 4

Zoning

Answer 4

• the preservation (pink) zone is a ‘no go’ area = can’t enter unless with a written permit + extractive activities are prohibited
• marine national park (green) zone = ‘no take’ zone = extractive activities only allowed with a permit
• the scientific research (orange) zone allows for research + for people not undertaking research it is a non-extractive activities zone (e.g. swimming, snorkelling)
• general use (blue zone) provides opportunities for all activities within reasonable use

Question 5

Limiting impacts of climate change

Answer 5

• Australia is committed to the Paris agreement = aim to achieve net zero emission by 2050 + is on track to reduce emissions by 35% by 2030
• information surrounding climate change will be made more accessible to communities + industries to support adaption planning
• the Queensland Land Restoration Fund invests in carbon farming projects that deliver greenhouse gas savings with water quality, biodiversity + social benefits in reef catchments

Question 6

Limit impacts from land-based activities

Answer 6

• sugarcane growers must have a nitrogen + phosphorus budget that calculates the amount of fertiliser they can apply
• this budget must be verified + reviewed every five years
• implement new treatment systems technologies to reduce run-off
• some regions have seen up to 20-30% reduction in nitrogen loads entering the reef lagoon since 2009

Question 7

Limit impacts of tourism

Answer 7

• tourism operators must be eco-certified
• strict regulations on visitor numbers, boat anchoring + waste disposal
• educational programs for tourists e.g. no touching coral, wildlife code

Question 8

Limitations to management (land use)

Answer 8

• 2023 report card rated only 1 out of 35 attachments to be ‘on trac’ to meet water quality targets b 2025
• most strategies are voluntary, relying on farmer cooperation + incentives —> lack of mandatory regulations
• over $600 million has been committed since 2008 but experts argue at least $1 billion more is needed for full implementation + monitoring

Question 9

Limitations to management (climate change)

Answer 9

• climate change is a global issue = local action has limited effect alone with coral bleaching events increasing as sea temperatures rise

Question 10

Limitations to management (fishing)

Answer 10

• the girl covers over 340000 km2 making patrols + monitoring challenging
• illegal, unreported + unregulated fishing still occurs especially in remote areas
• fishing is a significant contribution to Australia’s economy + livelihood so the right balance between protecting the coral reefs but still allowing fishing is needed