Significance of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait region
What is the environmental and cultural significance of the area?
The Great Barrier Reef comprises a complex of some 900 islands and 2900 reefs and extends some 2300 kilometres along the east coast of Queensland, covering an area of 346 000 square kilometres and is one of the most complex and diverse ecosystems in the world. It provides habitat for many unique forms of marine life. There are an estimated 1500 species of fish and more than 300 species of hard, reef-building corals; more than 4000 mollusc species and over 400 species of sponge have been collected. Other well represented animal groups include anemones, marine worms, crustaceans and echinoderms. This great diversity of life forms, especially in the endemic species, makes it an area of enormous scientific importance.
The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty. It the world's most extensive stretch of coral reef and is probably the richest area in terms of faunal diversity in the world. Its great diversity reflects the maturity of an ecosystem which has evolved over millions of years on the north-east continental shelf of Australia.
The reef system, extending to Papua New Guinea, the reef comprises some 2900 individual reefs of all sizes and shapes covering more than 20,000 km2, including 760 fringing reefs, which range in size from under 1ha to over 10,000 ha and vary in shape to provide the most spectacular marine scenery on Earth. There are approximately 600 continental islands including many with towering forests and freshwater streams, and some 300 coral cays and unvegetated sand cays. A rich variety of landscapes and seascapes, including rugged mountains with dense and diverse vegetation and adjacent fringing reefs, provide spectacular scenery.
Many islander and coastal communities are dependent on its marine life for their livelihood and maintenance of their culture, and seek the protection of their traditional use of its resources.
The environmental and cultural significance of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait region are nationally and internationally renowned and the significance of the area continues to be protected by:
- 1975 – declaration of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park by the Australian Government;
- 1981 – listing of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area by UNESCO;
- 1983 –designation of the Capricorn and Bunker Groups of Islands as an Area to be Avoided by the IMO;
- 1990 – declaration of the Great Barrier Reef as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) by the IMO allowing Australia to introduce associated protective measures;
- 1991 - the establishment of a compulsory pilotage regime for ships transiting navigationally complex areas of the Reef with the pilot providing detailed local knowledge to assist safe passage;
- 1997 - the establishment of the 1996 IMO-adopted ship reporting system (REEFREP) whereby ships are required to report their position on a regular basis;
- 2004 - the introduction of a coastal Vessel Traffic Service (REEFVTS) allowing near real time monitoring of ship traffic to provide information to a ship’s master on potential traffic conflicts and other navigational information;
- 2004 - a system of zoning was introduced by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to allow ships to transit the Reef in designated shipping areas;
- 2005 - designation of Torres Strait as a PSSA;
- 2006 - implementation of an emergency management towage system and associated response arrangements which includes the provision of a dedicated emergency towage vessel, the Pacific Responder;
- 2010 - extension of REEFREP to the southern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park agreed by the IMO;
- 2011 – opening of extended REEFVTS to southern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
What is the significance of the area in terms of the economy, trade and shipping?
Apart from its importance as an internationally recognised sheltered and safe shipping route, the Great Barrier Reef region sustains a variety of commercial and recreational activities and livelihoods including fishing, tourism and recreation, worth in excess of $5 billion per annum to the Australian economy1.
Shipping is the lifeblood of the Australian economy. The export movement of bulk cargoes in particular, and imports of essential fuel and manufacturing inputs are crucial to the economic and social well-being of the country. There are eleven ports operating adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, accounting for some $17 billion of Australia’s export trade. These ports service a population of around 1 million in northern regional Queensland - nearly 27% of Queensland’s population.
1 Access Economics Pty Ltd., The economic and financial value of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Report by Access Economics Pty Ltd for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, 30 June 2005.