Great Barrier Reef Essay

Background information

The Great Barrier Reef is located in the coral sea along the coast of Queensland extending from the northern tip of Queensland in north-eastern Australia, to just north of the townBundaberg. The width of the reef is between 60 and 250 kilometers and its average depth is approx 35 metres in its inshore waters, while on outer reefs, slopes can extend down to more than 2000 metres. All together, the reef is bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Holland combined. The GBR is the largest coral reef system in the world composed of over 2,900 individual reefs. it covers an area of approx. 344,400 square km and stretches on for 2,300 km it is so large it can even be seen from out of space.

Within the Great Barrier

Currently, approximately 25% of reefs around the world have been damaged beyond repair by human activities and 60% are still threatened today.

Of the human pressures on the Great Barrier Reef, POLLUTION, tourism … all have caused detrimental effects to the reef. The Great Barrier Reef is particularly vulnerable to pollution from runoff produced agriculturally or through urbanisation. In order to grow and thrive coral requires water which is salty and low in sediment and nutrients. Dredged material which is a combination of dirt, sand and mud which has been eroded or wasted away from the land, a result of agriculture, deforestation or urban development is being dumped into the sea. This as well as the other materials dumped at sea such as wood, metals, glass, plastics, nuclear waste and chemicals are affecting the condition and quality of the water in the region of the Great Barrier Reef. Throughout the world it is estimates that 7 billion tonnes of litter are released into the ocean This is resulting in clouding water making it hard for zooxanthellae algae to grow, eventually killing it, also killing coral at the same

The businesses focused on the tourism industry for example, tour operators, travel agents, cruise ship industry, boat charters, tourist resorts etc.. all have vested interests in the reef. The people who focus on managing and conserving the reef such as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, community groups, the Tourism and Recreation Reef Advisory Committee all play a part in making sure the reef is used responsibility. The Australian, Queensland and other local governments play a very important role in the protection of the reef as they have the power to create laws in particular the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. These groups as well as others such as the Local Marine Advisory Committees and Reef Advisory Committees, specifically the Tourism and Recreation Reef Advisory Committee all play a role in ensuring that the reef is used