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How Great is Great? State of the Environment Reporting for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area

Andrew Chin and David Wachenfield

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, TOWNSVILE, AUSTRALIA

Theme: TH4

In 1998 the report 'State of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area 1998' was released. This was the first ever synthesis of information on the state of the environment, human pressures on the environment, and management responses to those pressures, for the whole of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The report is divided into two main parts: 'Environmental Status' and ‘Management Status'. The 'Environmental Status' section considers water quality, mangroves, island plants, seagrasses, macroalgae, corals, crown-of-thorns starfish, fishes, birds, reptiles, marine mammals, and inter-reefal and lagoonal benthos. Each of these environmental categories was treated according to the State-Pressure-Response model. The overall picture was that while some elements of the Great Barrier Reef are subject to intensive human pressures, the ecosystem as a whole is in good health. Out of the 12 categories used for reporting, all have had extensive surveys conducted for at least part of the environmental attribute on at least one occasion. However, significant areas of uncertainty regarding basic distribution and abundance remain for many groups of organisms, including macroalgae, soft corals, inter-reefal and lagoonal benthos, sea snakes and inshore dolphins. Currently, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is developing new formats and mechanisms for collecting, managing and presenting 'State of the Reef Reporting' information including the integration of the State-Pressure-Response model with an interactive web-based matrix that allows users to access data on any element of the Condition-Pressure-Response model. Web-based reporting will also facilitate regular updates and increased opportunities for ongoing independent peer review.