Reef in Brief | November 2024
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Australia's lead management agency for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Reef Guardian Council program expands Reef protection
Charters Towers Regional Council has become the newest member of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Reef Guardian Council program, joining 19 other local government areas helping to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Since its inception in 2007 the program has grown to include 20 local governments covering more than 75 per cent of the Reef Catchment. Reef Authority CEO Josh Thomas said, “the addition of the Charters Towers Regional Council will make a significant contribution to the program”.
History of Jiigurru?
Working with Traditional Owners, western scientists have studied changes in the ancient environment and human history of Jiigurru (Lizard Island) over decades. A small sample can tell a big story. Whether it’s a water sample, a fish bone fragment, a shell, or a rare pottery sherd, the scientific knowledge that emerges from these analyses can provide so much information about how Sea Country may have changed. Read on below.
What is coral spawning?
It’s that time of year when corals take advantage of the full moon, dust off the old Barry White records and get down and dirty to bring new life to the Great Barrier Reef.?During this dazzling display of synchronised mass reproduction, corals release millions of bundles of sperm and eggs into the ocean in a kaleidoscope of colour, bringing their next generation to life.?
Here's lookin' at you Reef
They’re on the water year-round and know their patch like the back of their hand, so who better to help keep an Eye on the Reef than marine tourism operators. About 60 industry professionals are heading back to school off Cairns and the Whitsundays for the Reef Authority's annual pre-summer Eye on the Reef training, where they'll learn scientific survey collection methods to contribute valuable data.
A reef away from home
From one UNESCO World Heritage Site to another, Marine Biologist Karen Chong-Seng has a career spanning international waters. The Seychelles, lovingly nicknamed the land of perpetual summer, was the backdrop of an idyllic upbringing inspiring Karen. Now, she’s a marine researcher who’s authored 18 publications and conducted work over the globe. But it wasn’t always clear to Karen that marine science was her niche.
Plan of management consultation continues
The first of a series of collaborative workshops were held earlier this month as part of the Southern Plan of Management project. This new management plan, being jointly developed by Traditional Owners, the Reef Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and partners, aims to safeguard the values of the southern Great Barrier Reef Marine Park while allowing for multiple sustainable uses and increasing the resilience of the Reef in the light of climate change.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority acknowledges the continuing Sea Country management and custodianship of the Great Barrier Reef by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners whose rich cultures, heritage values, enduring connections and shared efforts protect the Reef for future generations.
director at gregor manson and associates pty ltd
2 周Why do you insist reef guardians started in 2007 - check your history books - I think it was around in 2003 at least and before that in other forms