Australian Coral Sea Heritage Park
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AN EDITED BY IMOGEN ZETHOVEN AO ZETHOVEN IMOGEN EDITED BY AUSTRALIAN CORAL SEA HERITAGE PA R K EDiteD BY IMOGen ZetHOVEN AO The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. We partner with a diverse range of donors, public and private organizations and concerned citizens who share our commitment to fact-based solutions and goal-driven investments to improve society. An independent nonprofit, the Trusts is the sole beneficiary of seven individual charitable funds established between 1948 and 1979 by two sons and two daughters of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph N. Pew and his wife, Mary Anderson Pew. © May 2008 The Pew Charitable Trusts. All rights reserved. The Pew Charitable Trusts One Commerce Square 2005 Market Street, Suite 1700 Philadelphia, PA 19103-7077 United States of America +1 215 575 9050 www.pewtrusts.org The Pew Environment Group Suite 603, 185 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia +61 2 9269 0346 Distribution of “as is” copies of this report for non-commercial purposes is permitted. ISBN 978-0-9805237-0-6 Design and Illustrations by JonChuo.com Printed by Southern Colour Pre Press by Spitting Image Cover photo Grey reef shark, © Jurgen Freund The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of the US-based Pew Charitable Trusts. Encouraged by Pew’s successful advocacy for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the Pew Environment Group in partnership with the Oak Foundation, the Sandler Family Supporting Foundation and the Robertson Foundation launched Ocean Legacy in 2007. Its goal is to secure designation of a small number of very large, world-class, no-take marine reserves over the next 3–5 years that will provide ecosystem-scale benefits and help conserve our global marine heritage. CORAL SEA HERITAGE PARK 1 FOREWORD BY DAVID SHACKLETON, AO Australia has a unique relationship with the Fishing will not stop until there is some Vice Admiral (Retired) sea. Australians live on the only inhabited legal compulsion for it to do so. Australia’s Former Chief of Navy island continent on earth. Our oceans and government has the authority to create coastline are of great importance to our that legal compulsion. CHRISTOPHER RITCHIE, AO identity, prosperity, lifestyle and security. Vice Admiral (Retired) We suggest that Australia’s stewardship Former Chief of Navy The sea is a significant resource; it is the of the Coral Sea needs to improve. Given nation’s major highway for trade, a magnet the rapid decline of large oceanic fish as for recreation and tourism, and the last line described in this submission, the onset of of Australia’s defence and border protection. climate change and innumerable other In the Second World War, Australia’s fortunes threats to our oceans, it is time for strong were influenced greatly by the outcome of leadership and action. the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first major Evidence from around the world and allied victory in the war of the Pacific, and in Australia demonstrates that no-take an event that marked a realignment of parks not only increase abundance of fish Australia’s international relationships. populations, they also improve catches of As former Chiefs of the Royal Australian fish in adjacent fishing areas. Navy, we spent our entire professional lives For this combination of reasons, we strongly thinking about the role of the sea in Australia’s believe that those charged with securing future. There was a time, not long ago, the future for Australians should agree to when only naval officers, oceanographers, this proposal to form a very large highly marine biologists and those with commercial protected, no-take reserve: to be known interests gave much thought to the role of the as the Australian Coral Sea Heritage Park. sea in the life of the nation. Thankfully, there is now an awakening that the sea, like our rivers, A no-take reserve does not deny the flora and fauna, is critical to our collective ocean to others, but it does prohibit all future as responsible citizens. forms of fishing. Ecologists, environmentalists and The Australian Coral Sea Heritage Park ordinary citizens have come to understand would be the largest of its kind in the world, that there is a lot more to the sea than and a clear demonstration of Australia’s science, commerce and national defence. commitment and leadership in nurturing The relationship between the sea and the its whole environment; not just part of it. land is a central element of Australia’s future. This proposal by the Pew Environment The Coral Sea holds a special place as Group1, in collaboration with the Oak part of Australia’s oceanic boundary. It lies Foundation, the Sandler Family Supporting adjacent and seaward of the Great Barrier Foundation and the Robertson Foundation, Reef, and has a significant continuous impact is a prime example of evidence-based on the health of the Reef and the Central policy analysis and formulation, advancing Western Pacific oceanic systems. Its ecology, a tried-and-tested idea that has deep roots oceanic reefs, rich marine life and diversity in conservation history. It goes back to of habitats make it a priceless treasure the world’s first marine park, the Key West for Australians and those whose shores it National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, reaches. Importantly, scientific study tells us USA, created 100 years ago in 1908 by that the Coral Sea is one of perhaps as few President Theodore Roosevelt, and as five ocean areas throughout the world Australia’s first Commonwealth-created that, because of a coincidence of conditions, marine reserve, the Great Barrier Reef acts as a haven for large fish species. In turn, Marine Park established under legislation these havens have a significant impact on in 1975. The Pew proposal also includes the size of fish stocks in adjacent sea areas. sound and effective strategies to achieve an Australian Coral Sea Heritage Park at We are concerned that marine life in the the earliest possible date. Coral Sea is in danger. This is a national challenge for which only Large ocean fish such as bigeye and the Federal Government is equipped to yellowfin tuna are being rapidly depleted take the lead. in the Pacific. Catch per unit effort for these species in Australia’s East Coast Tuna and We strongly commend this Billfish fishery, which operates partly in the submission to you2. Coral Sea, has also shown a clear downward trend. Fish stocks are not sustainable without time for the overall marine ecosystem to regenerate, an effort that typically takes many years without them being fished. 1 The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of the Pew Charitable Trusts: www.pewtrusts.org 2 We are not receiving any benefit, monetary or otherwise, for our role in supporting this proposal. Dwarf minke whale © Jurgen Freund CONTENTS foreword 1 DAVID SHACKLETON AO & CHRISTOPHER RITCHIE AO ACKNowledgeMENts 4 DR CLIVE WILKINSON & DR ROBIN SOUTH Notes ON CONtriBUtors 4 AN AUSTRALIAN CORAL SEA Heritage PARK 6 IMOGEN ZETHOVEN AO THE ScieNtific CASE 11 PROFESSOR OVE HOEGH-GULDBERG Professor TerrY HugHes PROFESSOR HELENE MARSH PROFESSOR JOHN PANDOLFI PROFESSOR HUGH POSSINGHAM NatUral HistorY AND HERITAGE 14 DR CLIVE WILKINSON & DR ROBIN SOUTH MilitarY HistorY AND Heritage 34 DR D.M. STEVENS CIVIC MARITIME HistorY AND Heritage 46 PAUL HUNDLEY CURRENT EXTRACTIVE USES 57 IMOGEN ZETHOVEN AO MANAGEMENT IMplicatioNS 62 PROFESSOR MARTIN TSAMENYI QUENTIN HANICH & BEN MILLIGAN List OF REFERENCES 68 AttachMENts 69 4 CORAL SEA HERITAGE PARK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Notes ON CONTRIBUTORS We are grateful to the following Quentin Hanich is a Senior Fellow at the Paul Hundley is Senior Curator of the USA Gallery agencies for contributing information, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources at the Australian National Maritime Museum. This advice, photos or maps to this submission: which he joined in early 2005. Mr Hanich coordinates Gallery was created by an official gift from the United the Australian Fisheries Management much of the Centre’s provision of advice on States to Australia in 1988 commemorating the Authority; the Australian Hydrographic international fisheries and oceans governance for Bicentennial of European settlement. He has held Australian and regional agencies, particularly in this position since 1993. Prior to this he was the State Service; the Australian Institute of Marine regard to the negotiation and implementation of Underwater Archaeologist for the state of Maryland, Science; the Australian National Maritime international fisheries and marine conservation 1989–1993. He was also Curator of Maritime History at Museum; the Australian War Memorial; the treaties. Mr Hanich has advised delegations to various the West Australian Maritime Museum, 1980–1989. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority; fisheries and marine environment treaty meetings and Mr Hundley received his Masters degree in Nautical the Queensland Department of Primary has worked throughout the Asia/Pacific region. Archaeology from Texas A&M University in 1980. Industries & Fisheries; and the Sea Power Mr Hanich lectures and writes on: oceans governance; Helene Marsh is Professor of Environmental 1 international fisheries; Antarctic and marine Centre – Australia. We are also grateful Science and Dean Graduate Research Studies at conservation; international environment and fisheries to Dr Phil Burgess, chair of the Climate James Cook University. She leads a cross-disciplinary fora; and strategy development. Mr Hanich has Change Review Group at Telstra, where research group that aims to establish the science degrees in Antarctic Studies (Hons) and Arts. he is Group Managing Director of Public base for the management of marine wildlife in the He is also undertaking a PhD analysing fisheries tropical Australasian region.