The Australian Government's Innovation Report

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is the Australian Government’s principal adviser on the care and
development of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The authority undertakes a variety of activities including:
• developing and implementing zoning and management plans;
• environmental impact assessment and permitting of use;
• research, monitoring and interpreting data; and
• providing information, educational services and marine environmental management advice.
In 2005-06, the authority funded science to support the management of the marine park through two major
programmes. It contributed $1.905 million in cash and about $420 000 in-kind to the Cooperative Research
Centre for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (CRC Reef). It undertook a $2 million marine
monitoring programme as part of the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan including monitoring the reef ’s
biophysical environment and social and economic attributes of adjacent coastal communities. The authority
also provided $80 000 to support four different Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grants.
Monitoring reef quality
One of the greatest threats to the iconic Great Barrier Reef is degraded water quality, but a Marine Monitoring
Programme is helping to ensure the reef is around for generations to come.
The near shore area of the World Heritage Area is under stress from human activity associated with coastal
developments and agricultural practices.
The Marine Monitoring Programme is led by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority as part of the
Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland Governments. It
is funded by the National Heritage Trust and delivered by a consortium of monitoring agencies including
the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the University of Queensland and the Queensland Department
of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
The programme uses world-class research to track the effectiveness of the Reef Water Quality Protection
Plan. Community involvement in water quality and seagrass monitoring is an extremely important part of
the programme. The partnership between environmental managers, scientists and the community, funded
and supported by the Australian Government, is essential to successfully dealing with degraded water quality.
Photo credits: GBRMPA
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