icolls - Sustainable Tourism CRC

ECOLOGY, THREATS AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR SMALL ESTUARIES AND ICOLLS
Threatening Process 4: Tourism and Recreational Use of ICOLLs
Through their provision of sites for safe fishing and recreation and their coastal positions, ICOLLs undoubtedly
have considerable tourist appeal (Yapp 1986; Smardon 1988; Struglia & Winter 2002). In many regions, this
amenity value of ICOLLs is reflected in the provision of designated recreation areas, typically in low-lying areas
within ICOLL catchments. Furthermore, beach-goers often utilise ICOLLs as significant recreational areas,
particularly where high coastal energy precludes safe swimming conditions off the coast (Hadwen & Arthington
personal observations; Leon Zann pers. comm.). In these instances, the aesthetic and recreational appeal of
ICOLLs ensures they are highly valued by local residents and tourists.
ICOLLs are also important systems with regard to tourism in less direct ways. Whilst many are not directly
sought out for recreation or fishing purposes, the presence of an ICOLL is likely to influence the development of
the surrounding environment and overall appeal of any given region to visitor sensibilities (Hamilton 2000). The
presence of ICOLLs within the coastal landscape is also likely to influence coastal development in the region.
For example, ICOLLs can be heavily modified into residential canal estates, such as Currumundi Lake in southeast
Queensland, or can prohibit excessive urban development depending on the orientation to the coastline and
proximity to infrastructure. As noted by Walsh, Soranno and Rutledge (2003), waterbodies are thus not only
indicators of catchment land use trends, but also facilitators of those trends.
Whilst ICOLLs can influence coastal zone planning, it is important to remember that marine and coastal
tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors (McKercher 1992; Hamilton 2000; Hall 2001). As a result,
coastal waterways (including ICOLLs) are under increasing pressure for their use as sites for recreation.
Furthermore, increasing urban development in coastal regions (Yapp 1986; Zann 2000) ensures that residential
and tourist demand for use of ICOLLs is likely to increase well into the foreseeable future (Struglia & Winter
2002).
What are the likely impacts of recreation in small ICOLLs?
There has been very little investigation of the effects of tourist use on ICOLLs (Arthington, Burton, Williams &
Outridge 1986; Outridge, Arthington & Miller 1989; Healthy Rivers Commission 2001). Given the absence of
reliable coastal tourism information, perhaps the most relevant data upon which to assess the importance of
ICOLLs to tourists is to analyse data for recreational fishing activities. Studies of recreational fishing catches and
attitudes indicate that these systems are vitally important areas for tourists visiting northern New South Wales
(Smith & Pollard 1996). However, as Smith and Pollard (1996) noted, there is little quantitative information
regarding the intensity and frequency of recreational fishing activities in ICOLLs, although more data may be
generated given the recent introduction of recreational fishing licenses in New South Wales.
Whilst quantitative data detailing recreational use of ICOLLs is scant, the presence of designated reserve and
recreation areas around many of the small ICOLLs in northern New South Wales (e.g. Lake Woolgoolga at
Woolgoolga and Lake Ainsworth at Lennox Head) highlights the fact that these systems are valuable local
resources. Furthermore, recreation areas and caravan parks are commonplace within ICOLL catchments
(Hadwen & Arthington personal observations), suggesting that these systems are (at least) seasonally important
sites promoted for recreation, swimming and fishing pursuits.
There are a number of mechanisms through which visitors might alter the ecology of ICOLLs. People can
contribute substantial quantities of chemicals to aquatic environments, including sunscreens, soaps, detergents
and waste products (Outridge, Arthington & Miller 1989; Butler, Birtles, Pearson & Jones 1996; Hadwen,
Arthington & Mosisch 2003; Hadwen & Arthington 2003). In addition, physical destruction of ICOLL
shorelines via trampling and vehicular use may alter the stability of bank sediments and destroy littoral
vegetation, as well as provide conditions favouring the establishment of exotic weeds (Kutiel, Zhevelev &
Harrison 1999; Mosisch & Arthington 2003). As in other environments, the invasion and establishment of
terrestrial and aquatic weeds can drastically alter the ecology of aquatic systems, through modifications to water
quality, habitat structure, community composition, food resources and food web dynamics (Vander Zanden,
Casselman & Rasmussen 1999). Other tourist development driven catchment modifications (such as increased
area of impervious cement and tarmac) can also significantly alter the rate of delivery of freshwater inputs and
contaminants.
At the landscape scale, tourists can accelerate the process of eutrophication of ICOLLs, through the
generation of elevated quantities of sewage that are often discharged into these coastal waterbodies. Whilst the
ecological consequences of sewage inputs have not been investigated in ICOLLs, we have observed that elevated
nutrient concentrations periodically lead to algal blooms (e.g. Tallows Lagoon, Byron Bay, New South Wales),
which, in turn, have increased the frequency with which these systems are artificially opened for flushing
purposes. Significantly, given their presumed role as nutrient sinks, ICOLLs with a history of STP inputs may
have been irreversibly affected, to the point that blooms will occur seasonally irrespective of inputs, simply
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