- Long Term Monitoring Program is crucial barometer of the Reef's long-term health
- 67% of surveys conducted before mass bleaching event; 55% before two cyclones
- Australia must do more to address climate change: improved greenhouse emissions reductions target; stop approving new fossil fuel developments; and progress new nature laws that take climate into account
The latest Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) Great Barrier Reef coral monitoring report released today shows a slight improvement in hard coral cover, although most of the surveys were conducted before the Reef suffered the extreme mass coral bleaching event over the summer, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said.
The AIMS Long Term Monitoring Program is a crucial barometer of the long-term trends in the health of the Great Barrier Reef. The latest report shows a 4-5% increase in hard coral cover across the three regions of the Great Barrier Reef, although 67% of surveys were conducted before the mass bleaching event, the fifth in eight years; and 55% of the surveys were conducted before cyclones hit, so this year's report does not cover the full extent of the impacts on coral from the extreme summer the Reef has experienced..
AMCS Great Barrier Reef Campaign Manager Dr Lissa Schindler said: "The AIMS Long-Term Monitoring Program provides a crucial long-term look at how the Reef is tracking through time. However, it is yet to take in the current health of the Great Barrier Reef, which has just experienced a summer of hell including cyclones and the worst mass bleaching event on record.
"Two-thirds of the surveys were conducted before the latest mass bleaching event, in which 75% of the Reef was impacted, and more than half the surveys were before two cyclones hit. Surveys also consider bleached coral as live coral, even though we know that some of that coral will not survive and die.
"Mortality data is being collected in addition to the Long Term Monitoring Program, but we will likely not know the true impact of last summer until early next year. The Australian and Queensland governments have to report back to UNESCO in February on the coral mortality that has occurred during this latest bleaching event.
"The LTMP is useful for tracking long-term trends in Reef health and shows if given time and opportunity the Reef can recover from mass bleaching events. As climate change worsens, marine heatwaves will become more frequent and more severe, which will diminish the Reef's ability to recover.
"Australia must do more to protect its greatest natural asset and battle climate change, which is driving the marine heatwaves that cause the mass coral bleaching events on the Reef. Australia must urgently cut greenhouse gas emissions, stop approving new fossil fuel projects, and progress the promised new nature laws to take into account climate change.
"The good news is that the Australian Government is currently reviewing its climate targets and environmental laws, and it has an opportunity to make a significant difference. We are urging the government to act now before it is too late."
