Achievements of CRC
Reef
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| Family
enjoying the reef. Photo: FantaSea |
Highlights
& Achievements 2003-04 (Adobe Acrobat PDF - 915KB)
RESEARCH
COMMUNICATION
AND COLLABORATION
EDUCATION
COMMERCIAL
AND INTERNATIONAL
REVIEW
OF ACHIEVEMENTS
RESEARCH
CONSERVING
BIODIVERSITY
- CRC Reef researchers
provided expert advice and powerful decision-making tools to support
the re-zoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park into a comprehensive,
adequate and representative set of reserves forr biodiversity conservation
CRC Reef has brought together a $6 million partnership that has begun
mapping seabed biodiversity throughout the Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park. This major collaborative project will add much more detail to
bioregional maps of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and help managers
to protect local areas and populations of special importance. It will
also help fisheries managers determine whether current harvest and impacts
on non-target species and wider ecosystem values are ecologically sustainable.
- Seagrass-Watch
is a community-based monitoring program developed by the Queensland
Department of Primary Industries in conjunction with CRC Reef, Queensland
Parks and Wildlife Service and local community groups. In Queensland,
it involves more than 300 volunteers between Hervey Bay and Cooktown.
The program has provided valuable information about the health of seagrass
ecosystems for local management agencies, acknowledged by a Prime Minister's
Environment Award.
- The Long-term
Monitoring Team based at the Australian Institute of Marine
Science (AIMS) has completed 11 years of reef surveys. Their recent
surveys indicated an increased incidence of coral disease on the GBR,
although at low levels compared with other parts of the world. The team
also documented the southward progression of the third recorded wave
of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and the extent of recovery of
corals in their wake.
- CRC Reef researchers
continue to provide critical research to support the conservation
of threatened and endangered species. They developed a method
to estimate the absolute abundance of dugongs from
aerial survey data that managers can use to assess the sustainability
of dugong populations in various regions of the GBRWHA. Researchers
have also shown that the major impact of boats on dugong is mortality
rather than habitat displacement. CRC Reef researchers have assessed
populations of coastal dolphins in Australia, and
developed models of critical dolphin habitat.
- CRC Reef collaborated
with IUCN and UNEP to produce a report about the status and
action plan for dugongs in 37 countries and territories around the globe.
- CRC Reef researchers
published definitive reference guides for biodiversity assessments
in seagrass and coral ecosystems (see below).
- CRC Reef researchers
provided expert advice into Environment Australia's draft Management
Plan for Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve,
performed surveys of Marine National Nature Reserves in the Coral Sea,
and have been invited to provide a strategy for monitoring all Commonwealth
marine reserves.
- For the first time,
the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry has been fully characterised.
This has assisted the Queensland Tourism & Travel Corporation and regional
tour operators to understand the motivation and segmentation of reef
tourists, assisting the marketing of their products and the provision
of quality services to domestic and international reef visitors.
- A manipulative
study by CRC Reef into the impacts of oil on coastal mangrove areas
has helped the Australian petroleum industry determine the usefulness
of chemical dispersants and the interdependence of plants and animals
in mangrove habitats. Queensland port authorities are also better prepared
to respond to possible crude oil spills near the coast.
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| Healthy
reef. Photo: Vicki Harriott |
WATER
QUALITY
- Research into the
impacts of terrestrial run-off on inshore reefs contributed
significantly to the Commonwealth Productivity Commission's
study on industries in the GBR catchment, to the Report on GBR water
quality by the GBR Protection Interdepartmental Committee Science Panel,
and to the formulation of the Reef Water Quality Protection
Plan - a joint initiative of the Commonwealth and Queensland
Governments to halt and reverse the decline in water quality entering
the reef within 10 years.
- CRC Reef researchers
developed new methods based on those that linked smoking with lung cancer
to demonstrate that terrestrial run-off has affected coastal
reefs in the Wet Tropics. This work contributed to the development
of the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan by the Commonwealth and Queensland
governments.
- CRC Reef researcher,
Dr Miles Furnas, published the first comprehensive description
of the state of the Great Barrier Reef catchment, modern levels of run-off
to the reef and the influence of run-off on coastal reef ecosystems
. His book, Catchments and Corals: Terrestrial Runoff to the
Great Barrier Reef, has been used to set water quality guidelines for
the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.
- CRC Reef researchers
found ecological gradients in coral and algal communities that correspond
to water quality gradients. This will allow predictions of changes
in reef communities if water quality should deteriorate in
future due to human activities or improve under the influence of the
Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.
- CRC Reef and Australian
Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) research has been central
to the debate about inshore water quality. CRC Reef research
featured in the documentary Muddy Waters, which was broadcast
on TV in 2003. CRC Reef also released a revised edition of the Land
Use and the Great Barrier Reef brochure. An ongoing multidisciplinary
study comparing tropical coral reefs close to and distant from areas
of river run-off will provide insight into the way that nutrients and
sediments washed off the land affect reefs.
GLOBAL
WARMING
- The Reef Futures
team collaborated with climate modellers at CSIRO to explore
the consequences of different climate scenarios for the 21st Century.
Their studies suggested that achieving lower rates of global warming
would improve the outlook for coral reefs as a result of less frequent
and less severe impacts of coral bleaching. The team discovered areas
with relatively low risk of coral bleaching by combining data from ecological
assessments following the 2002 bleaching event on the GBR, with satellite
sea-temperature database from the Australian Institute of Marine Science,
produced with assistance from CRC Reef.
- CRC Reef researchers
published an atlas of 10 years of sea surface temperatures
with resolutions which are around 10 times higher than maps that were
previously available. The maps of sea surface temperatures will be correlated
with ocean colour to better link productivity hot spots with other oceanographic
features such as currents and upwelling regions.
- CRC Reef researchers
discovered that corals transplanted among locations can change the mix
of zooxanthellae strains in the plant-animal symbiosis. This has the
potential to buffer some corals against a limited increase in sea temperature.
- CRC Reef researchers
facilitated establishment of AUSCORE - a network of Australian marine
scientists working to recover climatic and environmental information
from coral growth rings to help interpret sea-surface temperatures,
river flows, rainfall, salinity and El Nino effects.
SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM
- CRC Reef researchers
developed an online Cyclone Wave Atlas which is being used with Pontoon
Guidelines to assist GBRMPA and the tourism industry to achieve world's
best practice in optimising construction and mooring of offshore structures
in the GBRWHA. The research team were awarded the Kevin Stark
Memorial Medal for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Engineering, by the
National Committee on Coastal and Ocean Engineering for their work on
the Atlas. The team also completed a high-resolution hydrodynamic circulation
model for the entire Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait, which will
underpin studies of water quality, fish population dynamics and seabed
biodiversity.
- A code-of-practice
was developed for the swim-with-whales industry on the northern
Great Barrier Reef.
- An analysis
of reef tourist travel patterns and reef tourism markets to
allow more effective tourism marketing and management and assist the
tourism industry in future planning.
- CRC Reef researchers
performed a pilot-scale project for hand control of crown-of-thorns
starfish that established the case for Commonwealth and State
funding to defend major tourism sites.
- CRC Reef ran workshops
for tourism industry to update information about crown-of-thorns
starfish (COTS) on the GBR including biology, management and
status of COTS outbreaks.
- CRC Reef obtained
funds from Commonwealth, State and private sources for research into
irukandji jellyfish after two fatal stings of tourists.
CRC Reef is coordinating the research program on behalf of a State Working
Group to ensure outcomes address issues of concern to the tourism industry.
- CRC Reef is helping
to minimise coral damage by divers. Studies into the effect of scuba
divers on corals have influenced Dive Queensland's scuba training programs
and codes of practice used by dive operators, such as revised pre-dive
briefings and instructor training programs.
- Several island
resorts have improved their recycled irrigation systems following the
results of groundwater monitoring studies to track nutrients around
their coastal gardens, lawns and golf courses.
- Engineering studies
into seabed capacities of new screw anchor mooring systems have assisted
one Townsville marine company to install these eco-friendly anchor systems
at popular spots within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
- Recommendations
for diver interaction with whale sharks by CRC Reef researchers have
been adopted by the Western Australian government.
SUSTAINABLE
FISHERIES
-
Socio-financial
profiling of Queensland's commercial, charter and harvest fishing
fleets, provided managers, industry and other stakeholders with an
innovative, interactive tool to predict the magnitude, location
and nature of the direct and indirect social and financial effects
of changes in re-zoning and fisheries policy .
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CRC Reef researchers
are developing framework for co-management of marine resources
between Indigenous groups and management agencies . They
are also working towards hunting policy framework. In Torres Strait,
CRC Reef researchers are assessing cultural value of marine resources
and developing a framework for Indigenous aquaculture.
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CRC Reef's Fishing
and Fisheries (F&F) Project involves a number of interrelated
research tasks focusing on the fisheries of the Great Barrier Reef
and Torres Strait. Data and information from these tasks have been
used in the development of Queensland's Coral Reef Finfish and East
Coast Spanish Mackerel Fisheries Management Plans; Queensland Fisheries
Service stock assessment and Environment Australia Sustainability
Reporting requirements for east coast shark, barramundi and mud crab.
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CRC Reef researchers
have made important contributions to the Strategic
Environmental Assessments for Commonwealth-managed fisheries,
which are required by Environment Australia under the Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
-
CRC Reef research
into the attitudes of recreational fishers to compliance
will inform the design of Communication and Education programs when
the new GBRMPA zoning comes into effect.
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CRC Reef won the
right to host the Third International Symposium on Fish Otolith
Research and Application.
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Work on the overlaps
between sea turtle feeding grounds and trawl activity will
inform the design of cost-effective programs to enforce
the use of Turtle Excluder Devices by east coast trawl fishers.
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CRC Reef
completed an environmental assessment of a sponge aquaculture industry
for Palm Island's Indigenous community.
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CRC Reef research
on dugong and turtles was instrumental in developing the Hopevale
community turtle and dugong hunting management plan, which
received the Prime Minister's Award for Community Leadership.
CLEAN
COASTS AND PORTS
- CRC Reef researchers
are surveying Australian ports and ships to assist in detecting,
preventing and managing the introduction of marine species.
The introduced Asian green mussel was discovered in Cairns during a
baseline survey of Trinity Inlet. Studies of the biology and ecology
of the mussel were used to develop the eradication response to the pest
and have helped to determine its likely spread during routine port activities
such as dredging. Information from surveys at Ashmore Reef, tropical
ports such as Thursday Island, Gove, Karumba and Townsville, and hull
surveys of 23 naval ships at HMAS Cairns, is being used by various port
authorities to better manage their impact on the environment. It is
also being used by state, national and international agencies to help
develop standards to detect, monitor and manage introduced marine species.
- CRC Reef student
research projects on ship fouling organisms, modelling of port hydrodynamics
and larval settlement patterns contribute to an understanding
of the causes and movement of introduced marine pests .
- CRC Reef began
testing a pilot plant to develop techniques for
disinfecting ballast water and preventing further introductions
of exotic marine species.
- CRC Reef's port
habitat mapping and monitoring work continues to be well utilised by
industry and government in planning and decision making about port development
and maintenance.
- CRC Reef researchers
are providing Woodside Petroleum with crucial wave information to ensure
the safety of offshore oil production platforms in Arafura and Timor
Seas and on the Northwest Shelf. The Marine Modelling Unit based at
James Cook University was the only group that could do this work at
the level of sophistication required.
- CRC Reef researchers
are modelling storm surges in Northern Territory and in Townsville to
provide local council with information that could be vital in saving
lives and property during the cyclone season.
COMMUNICATION
& COLLABORATION
-
The Great
Barrier Reef Seabed Biodiversity Project is a collaboration of unprecedented
size involving two partners from CRC Reef (Australian Institute
of Marine Science, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and
Fisheries), CSIRO and the Queensland Museum. These agencies have provided
$4 million of resources, attracting $2 million of co-funding from
CRC Reef, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and National
Oceans Office. CRC Reef led the development of a communications protocol
for managing reporting and contacts with the media.
- CRC Reef and Rainforest
CRC created a joint program (Catchment to Reef) to
develop new tools for monitoring and management of water quality in
terrestrial and marine environments. This program was the basis for
a successful to the CRC Program for supplementary funds.
- CRC Reef researchers
influenced public debate on World Heritage issues
through its high profile in radio, TV and print media on matters such
as climate change, re-zoning of the Reef, catchment management and water
quality. To inform the public, CRC Reef produced a series of
colour brochures summarizing scientific knowledge about coral
bleaching, land use, crown-of-thorns starfish, marine tourism, line
fishing, introduced marine species, seagrass, dugongs and dwarf minke
whales.
- CRC Reef researchers
helped to formulate the response to the US Coral Task Force to the challenge
of climate change for coral reefs.
- CRC Reef made important
contributions to national policy formulation through
analyses and reports on crown-of-thorns starfish and the coral harvest
fishery.
- Students working
on fisheries organised and ran a highly successful student-stakeholder
workshop to communicate their results to industry and management. Students
working on marine wildlife held a workshop for stakeholders and then
published their results as policy briefings to inform management.
- CRC Reef has developed
and is implementing an Indigenous Engagement Strategy
to develop partnerships with Traditional Owners and provide opportunities
for involvement of Indigenous groups in research.
- CRC Reef is developing
protocols for contact and communication by researchers with Torres Strait
communities. This work is intended to raise cross-cultural awareness.
- Many CRC Reef researchers
provide expert advice to Management Advisory Committees
(Reef MAC and Harvest MAC) Research Advisory Committees (Fisheries RAC,
Water Quality RAC) or working groups including Mapstone (coral reef
fin fish fishery, Torres Strait finfish working group, Torres Strait
rock lobster working group), Murchie (Torres Strait finfish working
group), Begg (spotted mackerel), Tobin, Begg (Spanish mackerel stocks),
Doherty (harvest fisheries), Barnett (tourism RAC), Fabricius and Furnas
(water quality) and Williams (water quality, coral reef fin fish fishery).
Prof Russell Reichelt is a member of the Reef Protection Science Panel
responsible for advising the Queensland Government on water targets.
Rasheed and Coles, are members of the dredging Technical Advisory Consultative
Committees (TACC) for the ports of Weipa, Karumba and Mackay and provide
advice on dredging programs for these ports that will ensure port activities
will have minimal impacts on sensitive marine environments. Doherty
and Coles provided expert advice on the National Bioregionalisation
Working Committee. This ensures that CRC Reef's results are
used to provide a positive management outcome for the environment .
- CRC Reef researchers
produced several reference guides for biodiversity assessments. Dr Rob
Coles co-edited a book on Global Seagrass Research Methods
which brings together 51 authors from around the world to provide a
useful and comprehensive set of research methods for scientists and
the community monitoring of seagrass. Dr Katharina Fabricius published
the first comprehensive guide to the identification of soft corals and
sea fans of the central west Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.
Dr Charlie Veron produced an electronic tool Coral ID
for the identification of hard corals, which has been sold to an international
market.
- By 2002-03, CRC
Reef researchers published 134 scientific journal articles, 68 conference
proceedings and 99 technical reports (of which 20 were published by
CRC Reef).
- International
collaborative research on reef fishes resulted from a Queensland
Government agreement with the Smithsonian Institute.
- First course in
international fisheries instruments held with participants from across
Australia and overseas.
- CRC Reef has attracted
more than 1,400 people to seagrass training seminars. Nearly 400 people
have gone on to participate in community-based monitoring programs.
EDUCATION
- CRC Reef supports 24 scholarship students (23 PhD,
1MSc). The target for postgraduate scholarships is 30 scholarships.
- There is a 100% retention rate and 40% completion
rate for students. PhD students complete their theses in an average
of 4 years, and MSc students in 3 years.
- CRC Reef supported students with travel grants (41
students, $38,030), augmentative grants (42 students, $32,600), the
Ken Woolfe Prize (2 students, $3,000), Graham Kelleher Prize (2 students,
$6,000), CRC Reef Marine Science Journalism Prize (5 students, $5,000)
and Dorothy Paramore Highly Commended Award (4 students, $1000).
- CRC Reef supports 78 student associates (affiliated
with CRC Reef because their supervisors are CRC Reef researchers, and
includes 15 recipients of CRC Reef Augmentative Grants, 14 students
from the previous CRC). The target is 15 additional students supported.
- CRC Reef students are mostly enrolled at James Cook
University, representing 17 % of all postgraduate research students
at JCU (an increase from 12% in 1999/01).
- Student researchers received 9% of the total research funds
and produced 43% of CRC Reef refereed papers.
- About 80% of completed CRC Reef scholarship students
are employed in universities, management and research agencies.
COMMERCIAL
AND INTERNATIONAL
- In 2002-03, a total of $1,052,000 was raised by CRC
Reef in additional revenue of which $840,154 was from commercial contracts
(an increase of 300% since 1999-2000).
- International Marine Project Activities Centre
(IMPAC) established as a CRC Reef subsidiary. It attracted
participants including the first Australian offices of the International
Ocean Institute, the first Australian office of The Nature Conservancy
and an office of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
- CRC Reef researchers were key players in establishing
the Arafura and Timor Seas Expert Forum (ATSEF).
- CRC Reef researchers initiated the World Seagrass
Association and w ith funds from the Packard Foundation, established
an international monitoring program (SeagrassNet) covering
more than eight countries from the Western Pacific. More than 1,400
people have attended seagrass training seminars and nearly 400 people
have participated in seagrass monitoring field-training exercises.
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