The Panama 'Olympics', as it has been dubbed by many, heralds the 1997 `Year of the Reef' during which the international community is supposed to focus on the state of the world's coral reefs. If previous 'Years of ...;' are anything to go by, then chances are that it will be a time of rhetoric but little else. This would be a great pity given the massive amount of work that needs to be done if the coral reefs of the world are to be brought back from the degraded state to which they have been reduced by all kinds of over-exploitation, pollution and destructive fishing practices. Further, it would be disappointing if the focus were to be on further monitoring of the decline of reefs at the expense of educating people about their importance. As I said at a UNEP workshop in Bangkok last year, '... (we) may care to reflect on the fact that for many years we, as scientists and environment lovers, have known what kills coral reefs and we have observed and recorded their deaths. What we haven't done is get the message through to the entrepreneurs, engineers, accountants, decision makers and the public in such a way that they will accept that the costs of development include high standards and consequent financial costs or result in the death of the environment. A number of existing programmes will continue to record those deaths. An essential role for us all is to ensure that the public, politicians and government and professional decision makers understand the constraints and operate within them.'
Whilst it is tempting to preach from Australia, where the pressure on coral reefs is minimal and we have the luxury of management arrangements that are largely supported by the users of the reef, I urge those who will be focusing attention on the coral reefs during 1997 to consider the particular circumstances of other countries and cultures. I expect that there are a whole raft of Australians who given a stick of dynamite and a hungry family would find it necessary to use the former to feed the latter. The real pity of destructive reef exploitation is that much of it is to feed the industry barons sitting in high-rise offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, or perhaps Sydney - local communities cannot afford Muro-ami operations it seems to me. That said, I am buoyed up by some shifts in the concentration of effort to protect reefs by the education of communities about the resource, and the empowerment of local communities to manage what is an essential part of their lives. The last article in this issue, the CRC Update, notes that problems with reefs are `predominantly social problems requiring political solutions', a view with which I concur. Unfortunately, the same article also notes that at the Panama symposium 'there was a noticeable lack of socioeconomic research presentations about coral reefs' which is worrying when, the position that I agree with is that, 'understanding and managing people - their habits, traditions, expectations and needs - is often more important for coral reefs than understanding the natural processes of reefs'.
Well, after five and a bit years, this will be the last Reef Research that I edit since I am leaving for what I hope will be greener pastures with the Ports Corporation of Queensland. For this issue I had major assistance from Vicki Nelson and Kim Davis to complete the task. Vicki has also moved on to private enterprise but Kim will hold the fort and edit future issues of the newsletter. I wish all who have assisted me with the newsletter, the many contributors and, of course, all our readers the very best in the future. Cheers.
| Ed. |
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
PO Box 1379 TOWNSVILLE QLD 4810. Phone: (077) 500 700, Fax: (077) 726 093
E-mail: registry@gbrmpa.gov.au