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Director's ReportThe fourth year has seen a greater number of outputs from our issues-driven research activities and, importantly, an increasing array of outcomes wherein Centre products are being applied by Reef industries, managers and policy makers. Our list of more than 40 significant outcomes - making Reef science useful - was highlighted in the Third Year Review of the Centre and they are noted throughout this Report. New research findings from the Centre are challenging and replacing old dogma: for example, understanding the processes for coastal transport and dispersal of terrigenous sediments in the GBR lagoon. Novel and innovative databases are underpinning commercial information for reef use and planning, such as segmentation analysis of tourism in the Cairns sector, and resource use patterns in management plans for Shoalwater Bay, Hinchinbrook and Cairns areas. Major effort has been directed to the Centre's strategic direction initiatives and in response to the dynamic information needs of Reef industries and managers, including:
The intransigence of nature, manifested in a series of cyclones in early 1997, impacted on several engineering tasks measuring wave climate in the Reef and provided opportunities for other tasks addressing ecological and biophysical processes and status of reefal regions. Communication and information transfer continued to be a keystone enterprise with an enormous effort and effectiveness deriving from the commitment by Don Alcock and Siriol Giffney. Communication training, networking with national and international science communicators, evaluation of the effectiveness of Centre publications and media approaches, public displays, newsletters and "plain" English materials, and accessibility of science and researchers are some of the successful tools implemented to support Centre achievements and to promote the CRC Program. An important datum point of knowledge about Reef science was laid down in November 1996 by the Great Barrier Reef Conference: Science, Use and Management, attended by 250 researchers and managers from around Australia and overseas. A spin off from the Conference is the establishment of the AUSCORE group which is a network of Australian researchers looking at coral proxy records and climate change issues. The focus of research to address and assist tourism enterprise remained a primary thrust of Centre activities, with effort also directed to issues relating to other users of the Reef and adjacent areas. The four year Effects of Fishing experiment started in early 1997 following a protracted and wide public consultation process culminating in approval by the Senate for the work. The experiment has consumed an enormous amount of intellectual and physical energy in science, design, logistics, communications, consultation and briefings. After 9 years of planning and design by national and international fisheries managers and scientists, the progress of this unique experiment is being closely monitored by Reef interest groups, by Queensland and global tropical fisheries managers. An early outcome of the process is a heightened awareness of the need for clear ethical guidelines and assessment processes to address ecological community- scale research in protected areas. Globally, Australia has the opportunity to lead these developments through the forum outcomes of the 1997 Fenner Conference later this year. A highlight of the year is the increased support given to the Centre by Reef industries through continued involvement in our daily activities (tourist operators, commercial and recreational fishers, consultant engineers), logistical and financial contributions (tourism, fishing and shipping industries), and collaborative enterprise in their strategic planning (Cairns tourism RT2005). The corporate "ownership" of the Centre through research-user peak bodies is stronger and personal linkages involving more than 115 SMEs with researcher-manager-industry reflects mutual effort and trust engendered by the Centre's purpose and operations. These outcomes persist often in an external environment of conflict over Reef resource and access issues. The effectiveness of these links is reflected in the additional funding of more than $1 million obtained from industry-based granting bodies. The Third Year Review of the Centre by the CRC Program provided a gratifying level of commendation for the efforts of many. We are implementing the insightful recommendations of the review panels as part of the planned process of evaluation of our strategic directions, especially the Board's goal for the Centre to continue beyond our current sunset date of the year 2000. Opportunities for wider international collaboration and contribution are being taken through several channels. Links with Indonesia, especially through AMSAT Ltd in the COREMAP project design provides opportunity to implement the CRC model in several provinces. Similarly, strong links are being forged with Korea through JCU and Honan University in the development of coastal tourism. The Centre's strategy for international liaison and activities is currently being focussed. Future planning and strategic development will be a major part of the Centre's activities in the forthcoming year. Initiatives also will be taken in: the application of GIS and database protocols/management; review and rationalisation of intellectual property; strengthening processes for international collaboration and application; further integration of research activities and outputs to provide outcomes addressing Reef issues; increased alignment of research task products and personnel to ensure relevance and accessibility for industry and management applications; continuing effective and innovative communication and information transfer; and continuing to facilitate the development of socio-economic research capacity on Reef issues. The Centre's approach of "making reef science useful" reflects the information needs of industry and management to better manage human activities in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Chris Crossland |
