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Great Barrier Reef 1 Great Barrier Reef Basin countries Australia Summary of basin characteristics Hervey Bay. The largest of the developed catchments is the Fitzroy, at just over 150,000km2, while the hirty-four sub-basins (or catchments) form Mossman River is the smallest at just 490km2. Eight the ‘basin’ of the Great Barrier Reef. These catchments are in relatively pristine condition, while Tcover an area of 370,000km2 and extend from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has set the tip of Cape York, south to the Mary River near pollutant reduction targets for the remaining 26. Managing Rivers Wisely 2 Great Barrier Reef Socio-economic importance ■ The Fitzroy River dumps more sediment into the Sugarcane is the major crop grown along the low- Reef than any other river. lying and ecologically sensitive areas adjacent to the ■ About 60-80 per cent of freshwater coastal wet- Great Barrier Reef. Grazing land, supporting an lands in the Queensland Wet Tropics have now estimated 5 million cattle, occupies over 80 per cent been lost due to sugarcane growing and other of the reef’s catchment. Horticulture (the growing of coastal development, which has effectively bananas, other tree crops such as mangos, and removed the natural filtration mechanism for vegetable crops such as tomatoes) is growing rapidly water flowing to the Reef. along the northern coastline, and aquaculture is also a ■ By 1994, 8,800 tonnes of nitrogen were dis- fast-developing industry. There are currently 40 charged annually into the sea from Queensland’s licensed aquaculture operations adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, including 25 marine prawn sugarcane land, most of which lies along the farms covering around 542ha. The Reef is also a Great Barrier Reef coastline. tourism ‘hotspot’ such that many people living in the ■ Pesticides from sugarcane – and increasingly coastal towns and cities rely on the Reef for their from banana and cotton growing – are contami- daily income. However, large-scale tourism also nating inshore sea grass meadows and even the brings with it the impacts of coastal development and dugong themselves. associated problems of pollution and sewage disposal. ■ The herbicide diuron has been found at levels high enough to affect marine life. Biodiversity values ■ Inshore corals are suffering under a load of mud, Given the Great Barrier Reef’s status as a global icon nutrients and pesticides, with those along the of the natural world, its biodiversity values need little explanation. These have resulted in World Heritage Wet Tropics coastline and in the Whitsunday Convention listing (yet curiously not listing under Islands being the worst affected. the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International Importance). The region embraces a huge range of Role of WWF and its partners different habitats, from coral to mangroves, saltmarsh communities to sea grass meadows and WWF’s main roles have been to raise awareness of lagoons. The latter are important habitats for marine the threat to the inshore reefs and sea grass turtles and dugong Dugong dugon. communities of the Great Barrier Reef from land- based pollution, and to be a catalyst for political Priority issues for river basin action and policy reform. The release of WWF’s management ‘Great Barrier Reef Pollution Report Card’ in June 2001 marked the commencement of a campaign to Sediment, nutrient and pesticide runoff from draw attention to the seriousness of the pollution agricultural activities threatens over 200 inshore problem, backed by scientifically rigorous reefs. WWF’s Great Barrier ‘Reef Pollution Report information presented in an easy-to-read style. Card’, released in June 2001, included the following Through combined information provision, summary of issues and concerns: awareness raising and active lobbying, WWF has been successful in gaining substantial commitments ■ Twenty-eight million tonnes of sediment flow from the national and Queensland state governments into the Reef on average every year – equiva- for the development of a Reef Water Quality lent to some 9,600 truck-loads of soil per day. Protection Plan. WWF hopes the final plan will (By contrast, it is estimated that the total sedi- include a range of new incentives, reforms to existing ment load from Great Barrier Reef catchments regulations and planning mechanisms, and prior to the arrival of Europeans was just 7.4 information and education initiatives aimed in million tonnes per year.) Land clearing and particular at forging stronger links between farmers overgrazing is responsible for the vast majority and the scientific community. of this sediment. Several of WWF’s recommendations have been Great Barrier Reef 3 incorporated into the Sugar Industry Reform Great Barrier Reef, from new developments Program, the key elements of which are: originating outside their boundaries. A unique aspect of the proposed Reef Water Quality Protection Plan ■ The overarching Sugar Industry Reform Plan: is that targets for the quality of water required to this must now include environmental objectives maintain the Reef’s health will be set for each river and priorities – ecological sustainability will be system (from headwaters to the river mouth). a vital component of the criteria that the govern- ment uses to assess the plan. Conservation method demonstrated ■ Regional Business Plans for each of the key This case study demonstrates how a carefully regional sugarcane growing areas: these will orchestrated campaign can convince decision-makers now have to demonstrate how a ‘whole of indus- of the importance of integrated river basin try’ systems approach will be used to address management as a means of reducing land-based environmental issues and to deliver improved marine pollution. In this instance it helped that the environmental outcomes, consistent with contin- environmental asset being impacted was a global ual quality improvement of water entering the icon. However, the environmental conditions built Great Barrier Reef. into the Sugar Industry Reform Program are also of ■ Reform projects funded under the programme: great significance, as are the funds acquired to these will have to achieve substantial reductions enhance wetland management. in sediment, nutrient and pesticide runoff. Project assessment criteria will give credit for Resources devoted enhanced riparian and wetland protection to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef. Funding for this campaign came from WWF- ■ Environmental expertise: this is a specific Netherlands, totalling more than US$700,000 over requirement in the committees established to three years (2001-2004). develop the Industry Reform Plan and the Regional Business Plans. Chronology WWF played a key role in securing some 2001 ● US$10.5 million for the Sugar Industry Reform June: WWF-Australia releases Great Barrier Reef Program, to be dedicated to wetland conservation pollution report. ● and management in the Great Barrier Reef August: Premier of Queensland establishes Great catchments, principally as a pollution management Barrier Reef Task Force to address pollution issues. ● tool. This funding will be integrated into the Reef September: Catchment Water Quality Management Water Quality Protection Plan, to be distributed Plan released by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park through a range of mechanisms including incentives Management Authority. and stewardship agreements with landholders, 2002 collaborative management approaches, and ● Queensland Reef Science Panel and intergovernmental community education and awareness raising. This Reef Water Quality Committee established; federal sum is in addition to existing government plans to government inquiry into the sugar industry initiated. invest US$10 million in wetland conservation in ● April: WWF makes submission to the Sugar Industry Queensland. Inquiry. A driving force for mitigation of the threats to ● June: report released recommending major structural the Great Barrier Reef from adjoining river reforms to the sugar industry. Reef Water Quality catchments is Australian federal legislation. WWF inquiry established by the Productivity Commission. helped negotiate the Environment Protection & ● August: Premier of Queensland and Prime Minister Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999), through which announce a Memorandum of Understanding to protect interested citizens and state governments can the Reef from land-based pollution, and their intention regulate threats to World Heritage sites, including the to develop a joint Reef Water Quality Protection Plan. Managing Rivers Wisely 4 Great Barrier Reef ● November: draft report from the Productivity ● September: final joint Federal-Queensland Commission’s inquiry released. Government Reef Water Quality Protection Plan ● December: Great Barrier Reef Catchment wetlands (expected to be) finalized. package approved, plus other environmental reforms for the sugar industry. 2003 ● January: Premier of Queensland releases Reef Science Lead WWF office contact Panel’s report and draft Reef Water Quality Protection Plan to limited number of stakeholders. Ms Imogen Zethoven WWF-Australia (Queensland) ● February: targeted stakeholder consultation in relation PO Box 710 to the plan and release of the Productivity Spring Hill, Queensland 4004 Commission’s report on ‘Industries, Land Use and Australia Water Quality in the Great Barrier Reef Catchment’; T: +61 7 3839 2677 WWF submits comments on the draft Reef Water F: +61 7 3839 2633 Quality Protection Plan. E: [email protected] ● May: draft plan released to
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