Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000
increased frequency of coral bleaching and inundation of coastal areas can be expected if
increases in sea surface temperature and associated changes in sea level occur as
predicted. Bleaching in Australia was focussed on inshore areas of the GBR in early 1998
and on offshore reefs off Western Australia (see Chapter 1)
GAPS IN REEF MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT
PNG
Scientists and technicians capable of coral reef monitoring and the support infrastructure
required for monitoring programmes are scattered among a few government departments,
academic institutions, NGOs, mining companies, and the dive tourism industry. However,
financial constraints and personnel shortages have consistently limited the ability to continue
monitoring programmes that have started from time to time. There is an urgent need for
baseline monitoring in areas currently or likely to be subjected to increasing anthropogenic
stresses. The University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) instigated a Reef Check program in
1998 and students were trained as divers and schooled in survey techniques. Surveys were
conducted in many locations around PNG with the assistance of local dive operators.
Training in AIMS/GCRMN standard monitoring techniques has also been conducted through
the Motupore Island Research Department of UPNG. Further development and ongoing
support of these programmes is essential to ensure they can continue and be expanded. In
addition to training more local divers and building a regular monitoring program, there is a
need for facilities and capacity for data analysis and the dissemination of results.
Dive tourism is one of the biggest non-destructive commercial activities in PNG. The PNG
Divers Association plays a significant role in marine conservation and could also assist in
ongoing monitoring programmes and skills training for marine scientists. Dive operators clearly
have the best infrastructure for visiting reef areas and monitoring programmes that effectively
harness this capacity are likely to be most successful. Government departments with
responsibilities for the management of reef systems are hampered by staff shortages and
severe funding cutbacks. Much of the capacity for biodiversity assessment, the establishment
and management of marine protected areas, and the development of community education
programmes now rests with NGOs. There appears to be sufficient capacity for the
development of policy and regulations for fisheries and marine protected areas. Unfortunately
there is little capacity for enforcement of laws, quotas and regulations. Local communities
could play a greater role in enforcement of fisheries regulations and marine protected area,
through the expansion of community based management programmes. As the anthropogenic
stresses on the reefs increase, the need for substantially greater capacity to assess and deal
with threats to reefs will become critical. A high priority must be protecting and enhancing
the capacity for impact assessment, monitoring and management of reefs within PNG.
Australia
Australia’s largest reef area, the Great Barrier Reef is the subject of several monitoring
programmes, notably the AIMS Long-term Monitoring Program (crown-of-thorns starfish,
benthic organisms and reef fishes) and the Long-term water quality monitoring programme
of the GBR Marine Park Authority (Chlorophyll). Other agencies have programmes to
monitor particular groups of organisms e.g. seabirds, turtles, dugongs in limited areas.
Other programmes monitor physical variables, GBRMPA monitors water temperature over a
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