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David Haynes, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, James Cook University
Britta Schaffelke, CRC Reef Research Centre Ltd, James Cook University
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FOREWORD
Water quality science is central to the management of the Great Barrier Reef. We
have come to understand that deteriorating water quality in coastal waters is a major
threat to the inshore Reef, and that action needs to be taken. Science and Scientists
have been instrumental in ensuring not only that we understand the problem, but
also in supporting an appropriate response, culminating in the release of the State
and Commonwealth Government’s Reef Water Quality Protection Plan in October
2003. The Plan has the goal of halting and reversing the decline in water quality
within the next ten years.
It is now more than four years since researchers working in the field of water quality,
and other interested parties met in a conference to exchange their knowledge on
current developments in water quality research relevant to the Great Barrier Reef
region. This Catchment to Reef: Water Quality Issues in The Great Barrier Reef Region
conference, co-organised by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, CRC Reef
Research Centre, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Australian Museum, James
Cook University and Rainforest CRC will be of major interest to all concerned with
the future of the Reef.
The proceedings of this Conference will be published in a special edition of the
international journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, to produce a benchmark of our current
state of knowledge of Great Barrier Reef water quality. Subsequent forums are being
planned to ensure scientists and practitioners can meet to develop solutions using
the knowledge presented at this conference.
Andrew Skeat
Executive Director
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Download a complete copy of the report (Adobe Acrobat file 863k).
For a hard copy of the report contact CRC Reef on info@crcreef.com.
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