Coastwatch spy-in-the-sky to aid coral protection strategy
The new regulations were detailed in amendments to the Plans of Management for the Cairns Area and Whitsundays enacted by the Commonwealth government in a move designed to protect corals, especially in the two high-use regions of the Marine Park. The rules will be enforced by the day-to-day management section of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service assisted by Coastwatch aerial surveillance. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has issued guidelines for recreational and commercial operators, emphasising that it is now an offence punishable by law to intentionally, recklessly or negligently damage coral.
The GBRMPA pointed out that some of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world were to be found in the Cairns Area and the Whitsundays and, to preserve them, operators should:
Special consideration will be given if it is necessary to anchor among coral in order to shelter from northerly winds, provided due care is taken not to damage the coral. The rules do not restrict anchoring whenever necessary for the safety of life or vessels. To encourage the use of places where coral damage is least likely, a number of locations in the Cairns Area have been designated as reef anchorages where new private moorings or pontoons will not be permitted. The chair of the GBRMPA, Virginia Chadwick, said no anchoring would be allowed around moorings or pontoon sites to protect the areas from anchor damage and to encourage tourism operators to exercise responsibility for managing use of the moorings.
The GBRMPA has designated the new moorings for commercial tourist boats at about 50 sites identified in the Cairns Area PoM. Mrs Chadwick said priority for allocation of the moorings would be given to operators who could demonstrate historic use of a particular site or were prepared to stop using sensitive locations, especially on coral reefs. "Some dive operators will want to stop at a certain point in the morning and then move on to a different location in the afternoon, so they need a broader range of moorings," she said. "The tourism industry will benefit and so will the Reef, because the trade-off for operators securing moorings on a daily basis is that they will look after the site, keep the area in pristine condition and preserve World Heritage values." The new moorings were welcomed by one of the Far North’s biggest tourism operators, Sunlover Cruises of Cairns. Director of operations John Millward said the GBRMPA move was a positive step towards minimising anchor damage. "It means we can maximise people’s experiences of the Reef by moving into more pristine locations where, with the use of anchors, we have previously been reluctant to go," he said. "It is a win for the environment and a win for the tourism industry in presenting the Reef to clients and the world community in general." Tourism in the Whitsundays received a boost when the GBRMPA ratified plans to issue 10 new permits to operators based in Bowen. The permits, which were included in amendments to the Plan of Management, will be issued to operators who agree to be based in Bowen. They will begin and complete tours and trips in Bowen. Mrs Chadwick said one of the reasons Bowen had not developed a marine tourism industry and associated infrastructure base in the past had been because Airlie Beach, 60kms to the south, had established itself as the major access point for the Whitsundays. "The permits now on offer will provide a welcome stimulus to the tourism industry based in Bowen," she said. "It is not necessary for potential operators to come from Bowen — there are opportunities for new and existing operators to relocate to Bowen from elsewhere." Mrs Chadwick said potential operators may consider targeting offshore reefs and the coastal area for eco-tourism experiences as well as planning trips to the Whitsunday Islands. Long-distance tourism operators received a boost with a new permit issued by the GBRMPA which will increase their access to the Whitsundays and Cairns regions. Amendments to the Plans of Management will allow Long Range Rovers to double their annual days of operation within the areas from 50 to 100 and carry up to 30 passengers. Long Range Rover operators are usually hired for fishing, snorkelling and diving trips. They do not sail to a fixed schedule or operate on a regular basis to particular reefs or locations. Mrs Chadwick said the new permits would give more tourists the opportunity to recapture the essence of traditional Reef experiences with the "freestyle" type of travel which was common before the introduction of the more structured day-trip industry. "Long Range Rover operations will not be subject to eligibility requirements, notification or bookings to enter the area, but will be required to operate in accordance with a number of specific conditions," she said. "These conditions include being surveyed for overnight operations. They will also be whole-vessel charters only — that is by a single client — and operators will not accept bookings from individual passengers or agents. "The new permit was finalised with the assistance of the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators. It is a positive move towards boosting tourism right across the Marine Park and also emphasises fairness in how the business is shared among all tourism operators." The regional economy will be boosted by extra tourist dollars after a decision by the GBRMPA to allow three cruise liners a day to visit the Whitsundays. New sites will expand the number of anchorages in the region from two to nine, and the move has also streamlined the booking system to make it easier for cruise ship operators to gain permits to sail into Great Barrier Reef waters. Operators had expressed concerns that they were finding it difficult to plan visits to the Whitsundays because only one ship a day was allowed to anchor in the region. The new anchorages are at South Hayman Island, Port Molle, south-east Hamilton Island, Pioneer/Funnel Bay and three sites at Turtle Bay. The GBRMPA is currently assessing a further 20–30 prospective anchorages in the Central, Cairns and Far Northern Sections of the Marine Park from Hinchinbrook Island to the tip of Cape York. Mrs Chadwick said a new ‘seamless’ booking system was being developed in conjunction with the QPWS which would ensure certainty of bookings at the anchorages and would automatically include application to relevant Queensland government regulators as well as the Authority. "The delay in issuing permits has been overcome by a streamlined process, so that the standard permit for cruise ships will be processed in 4–6 weeks from the time of application," she said. "Implementation of the new cruise ship policy has required minor amendments to the Cairns Area and Whitsundays Plans of Management, specifically to incorporate the additional anchorage sites and provide for the use of ships’ tenders." Mrs Chadwick emphasised that the easing of restrictions would provide cruise shipping companies with the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to codes of best environmental practice in promoting World Heritage values. "The companies can enhance their marketable commodity — the Great Barrier Reef — by continuing their ‘clean, green’ image while operating in one of the world’s best known and most pristine marine environments," she said. Mike Bartlett, chair of Cruising Down Under, welcomed the easing of restrictions and pointed out that the economy could receive a much needed boost as a result of more cruise liners stopping in the region. "We estimate that one ship carrying 800 passengers is worth about $77,000 to the local economy; a ship carrying 1200 passengers is worth about $116,000, and those are conservative estimates," he said. "Even if the new anchorages only draw an extra 10 ships a year, that would be worth about $750,000 which is a significant economic impact. Whale-watching in the Whitsundays will be made easier following a decision to allow tourist boats into a previously excluded area. And whale watchers will no longer have to "run away" when approached by the animals, as long as they shut down their engines and do not approach them. Under amendments to the Whitsundays Plan of Management, a ban on commercial whale watching in a deep-water area east of Whitsunday Island, south of Border Island and west of Edward Island has been lifted to allow dedicated operations greater flexibility. The rest of the whale protection area encompasses the islands and coastal waters between Gloucester Island and Thomas Island, including the Whitsunday Passage and Repulse Bay. It remains off limits to commercial whale watching and boats must not breach a one nautical mile exclusion zone to the east of any island. Mrs Chadwick said there was no conservation reason to retain the exclusion zone east of Whitsunday Island, where humpback whales and their young were frequently sighted during the calving season. But she emphasised that boats were still not allowed to approach closer than 100m in open water and 300m in the whale protection area. "The main danger is that whales and their calves can be frightened in high traffic areas and driven towards reefs and islands, where they can be injured. That is why dedicated whale-watching can only be conducted in open waters," she said. "Whale-watching is one of those rare activities where people can get very close to nature in the wild and we are determined to make sure we do not drive these beautiful animals away or put them in danger." At Vlasoff Reef, north-east of Cairns, plans for a helipad have been dropped because of its high recreational usage and following concerns that rare species of birds may be stressed when helicopters are landing and taking off. The GBRMPA received submissions from environment, tourism and recreational groups before agreeing on the helipad prohibition at the popular swimming and snorkelling site. Vlasoff Cay is home to about 160 little terns, which are listed under the Commonwealth’s Endangered Species Protection Act and considered vulnerable in the Queensland Conservation Act. New rules have been applied to significant bird sites within both the Cairns Area and Whitsundays, including a six-knot speed limit and aircraft ban at some sensitive locations during the breeding season. In particular, Michaelmas Cay, the most important seabird nesting site in the Cairns Area, has come under increased monitoring. Mrs Chadwick said protection of bird life on the sand cay had become a critical issue because of a decline in some species by up to 40 per cent since monthly monitoring began in 1984. "However, in all but the most sensitive locations it will be easier for aircraft to access the Cairns Area because they are now allowed to operate daily above 500ft," she said. "The new restrictions typify our commitment to sustainable use while ensuring protection for the diverse flora and fauna which make the Great Barrier Reef the world’s most ecologically diverse region." New laws designed to protect the World Heritage values of the Reef mean that commercial operators will be restricted at sensitive sites where tourism has been capped. The GBRMPA and tourism and recreational users have identified a range of opportunities for areas designated for intensive visitation through to low and sensitive locations. In some areas vessel and group sizes have been limited to protect remote areas for low-intensity, nature-based users. GBRMPA will provide well managed areas at other locations for the development of tourism opportunities. The amended plans allow some established tourism operators to be exempt from the regulations and continue their operations because of historical precedent. Application forms for non-conformity were released in April and are now being processed. A number of locations in the Whitsundays which were previously in the moderate-use category have now been redefined to only allow visitation by groups of up to 15 people at a time, although boat size limits have been raised from 20m to 35m to accommodate a range of recreational users. Mrs Chadwick said the amended Plans of Management were settled as the result of public submissions and consultation with a diverse range of users. "In some places, like Low Isles off Port Douglas, there will be limited access for tourism by a booking system," she said. "However commercial operations have been capped at other, sensitive, locations to protect the ecological and cultural values of those sites. Recreational boaties are not subject to the cap; they are able to turn up at their favourite spot and not find the place swamped by tourists."
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority |
OAT operators
who damage corals by anchoring in the Cairns and Whitsundays areas of
the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park face prosecution and fines of up to
$1100 for an individual and $5500 for a company.
