Is The Great Barrier Reef Dying Due To Tourism?

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a global treasure trove of corals, has not been added to the Unesco list of World Heritage Sites that are “in danger” due to strong lobbying from the country. The 2024 Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report is the fourth in a series of comprehensive five-yearly reports on the Reef’s health, pressures, management, and threats. Climate change is the biggest threat to the reef, and catchment restoration activities that reduce sediment flow to the reef will aid in its recovery.

Reef tourism encourages climate action, according to University of Queensland research. However, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has released the latest report from its Long-Term Monitoring Program (LTMP), showing that coral cover has decreased. An increase in tourism leads to an increase of trash and waste, which not only damages the Great Barrier Reef but the entire ecosystem. The behavior of tourists can have a negative impact on both coral reefs and communities, including physical damage to reefs and coral.

Despite the bleaching event last summer, tourism operators say much of the Great Barrier Reef is still healthy and worth visiting despite bleaching in many areas. 93% of the reefs in Costa Rica are in danger, and tourism is a significant factor in their degradation. Tourism is concentrated in about 7% of the total Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, with an average of 86% of visits occurring within the region.

The Great Barrier Reef is not in danger due to its warm water species, which thrives in the south Pacific regions. Increased population pressures on mainland North Queensland have resulted in increased pollution and physical activities related to tourism. Direct impacts in coral reefs are related to poorly managed tourism activities, such as snorkeling, diving, and sailing.

How does tourism affect the coral reefs?

Corals are at risk due to tourism, which can cause stress and bleaching when corals are accidentally touched, polluted, or broken off. This process can lead to the death of corals and the loss of essential marine plant species like sea grass and mangroves. Sedimentation, caused by dirt and debris deposited into the ocean, pollutes marine ecosystems and blocks sunlight for photosynthesis, causing coral reefs to bleach and die. In Costa Rica, the tourism industry’s dredging, logging, agriculture, and coastal development contribute to sedimentation.

A study by biologist Jorge Cortés highlights the negative impacts of tourism on coral reefs in the Cauhita region of Costa Rica. Without better management principles, sedimentation will continue to devastate Pacific reefs.

What is the biggest threat to the world’s coral reefs?

Coral reef ecosystems face significant global threats due to rising ocean temperatures and changing ocean chemistry. Warmer atmospheric temperatures and increased levels of carbon dioxide in seawater stress corals, leading to coral bleaching and loss of essential algae. Coral bleaching can kill coral colonies or increase vulnerability to infectious diseases. Other climate impacts include sea level rise, increased storm frequency and intensity, and altered ocean circulation patterns.

Ocean acidification, a response to the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, results in increased acidity in seawater due to the reaction between atmospheric and seawater carbon dioxide. These climate impacts can lead to the death of coral colonies or increase vulnerability to other threats.

Is it still worth visiting the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, spans over 2, 300 kilometers and features over 2, 900 separate reefs and 900 islands. Despite being damaged, the reef remains a vibrant ecosystem and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to over 1, 500 fish species, 400 coral species, and numerous marine flora and fauna. The reef is located off the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, between 20 and 160 km (12 – 100 miles) out in the Coral Sea.

Its corals serve as a crucial breeding ground for numerous marine species that venture into the world’s oceans. Accessible as a day trip from Cairns, Port Douglas, and Airlie Beach, the Great Barrier Reef is a must-see for marine enthusiasts.

Can we still save the Great Barrier Reef?

The Reef, the world’s largest living organism, has been severely impacted by climate change, storm damage, COTS outbreaks, and pollution. Despite these challenges, it remains a stunning sight and requires our help to survive and thrive.

How are we killing the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef’s decline is largely due to pollution from farming run-off, ships, and plastic, which smothers corals, blocks sunlight, and increases the vulnerability of coral to bleaching due to population explosions of the invasive crown of thorns starfish.

What happens to humans if the Great Barrier Reef dies?

The disappearance of coral reefs could lead to hunger, poverty, and political instability as the livelihoods of peoples in entire countries disappear. The reefs would also die and erode, destroying important marine life spawning and feeding grounds. Animals that rely on coral for protection and cover, such as grouper, snapper, oysters, and clams, would be negatively impacted. The ocean fishing industry, which employs 38 million people worldwide, would collapse, and Caribbean island nations that depend on tourism would see their jobs disappear.

The health of people worldwide, not just in coral reef areas, would suffer, as coral is used in many medicines. However, scientists can’t predict everything that might happen if coral reefs disappear, as the disruption to the food chain and biodiversity of the oceans could lead to additional problems.

Is the Great Barrier Reef reviving or dying?

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) reported the highest levels of coral cover across two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in over 36 years in 2022. This is a positive development, as it shows reefs can recover rapidly from damage. However, since 2016, reef experts and marine park authorities have been in constant damage control due to marine heatwaves, pollution, and an outbreak of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish. A 2020 study found that roughly half of the GBR’s corals had disappeared in the last few decades, with the remainder projected to vanish in the next century if planetary warming is not curbed.

In early 2022, four of the biggest marine heatwaves in the GBR’s history briefly broke the fever, opening a small but significant window for some species to reclaim territory. Scientists are still wary of the reef’s future due to which species are returning more than others.

Are people damaging the Great Barrier Reef?

Illegal fishing, tourists damaging coral, and the crown-of-thorns starfish, a natural predator of corals, are major issues. Measures include killing starfish and paying farmers to reduce agricultural run-off, but critics argue these measures do not address climate change’s main threat. A single starfish can wipe out large areas.

What is the main threat to the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef, a remarkable place on earth, faces numerous human activities and natural threats, including climate change, poor water quality due to land-based pollution, pests like the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, fishing, and coastal development. The Reef undergoes cycles of disturbance and recovery, and its importance is evident in its connection to First Nations people’s lives and history.

It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List for over 40 years and was declared a World Heritage Area in 1981 due to its Outstanding Universal Value, global importance, and natural worth. A Deloitte Access Economics Report found the Reef’s total economic, social, and icon asset value at $56 billion.

Are tourists ruining the Great Barrier Reef?

Tourism, particularly sugar cane farming, has significantly impacted the Great Barrier Reef. This includes developments on the shoreline, increased boating activity, and tourist activities such as breaking corals while snorkelling or walking on reefs. Sugar cane farming has also led to increased sediment and fertiliser run-off from cane farms, which can lead to algal blooms and eutrophication in some areas of fringing coral near the mainland. Sugar cane farmers apply fertilizers containing Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P), often adding extra fertilizer in case of heavy rain.

The introduction of bananas in the area further increased the use of these fertilizers. Only a third of the fertilisers applied are absorbed by the crops, and the rest evaporate, enter groundwater, or run off into nearby rivers or canals. Canals were built to drain water away quickly from sugar cane crops in case of heavy rain, reversing the cycle of wetlands. Sediment is believed to come from land that has been tilled and let lie fallow, as well as bank erosion due to European settlement.

Recreational and commercial fishing have also had major impacts on the reef. Commercial prawn fishing accounts for a large proportion of Queensland’s fisheries output, with recreational fishing in the General Use zones of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park accounting for 75 of the fin fish taken from the reef each year. Pisciculture, a trend involving raising fish in fish farms, has also been an important industry in North Queensland. Dredging is another method used to remove sediment from river beds and harbors.

What damage are humans doing to the reef?

Coral reefs are facing numerous threats from local sources, including coastal development, dredging, quarrying, destructive fishing practices, boat anchors, groundings, and recreational misuse. These threats are disproportionately affecting underserved groups, such as minority, low-income, and indigenous populations, who rely on coral reefs for food security and coastal protection against storms. Coral reefs are particularly vulnerable to human activities, both directly and indirectly, as they occur in shallow water near shore.

These activities are deeply ingrained in the social, cultural, and economic fabric of regional coastal communities. The decline of coral reefs is a growing concern, and intensifying efforts to protect them is crucial to ensure their continued existence.