Sustainability & Climate Change
The Australian coral fishery is recognised by GBRMPA (The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) as the most sustainable fishery on the Great Barrier Reef. In November 2008, the fishery was presented as an example of the world's best practice in ecologically sustainable fisheries management to the International Expert Workshop on CITES Non-Detriment Findings held in Cancun Mexico.
Since 1997 we have worked in close collaboration with senior fishery managers and scientists from the Queensland DPI&F and GBRMPA to ensure that coral harvesting will be a sustainable fishery well into the future.(See video)
Over one third of the Great Barrier Reef is protected by Marine Park zoning. We harvest by hand, a strictly limited quota of corals from broad reef areas in specific reef zones. Only small numbers of corals of a limited size and premium quality are selected from each site and the majority of the coral is left intact.
It is estimated that the Great Barrier Reef accumulates 5 million tonnes of coral growth per year. Our annual harvest of coral is an extremely small portion of this annual coral growth and is insignificant when compared with the impacts of natural events such as storms, cyclones and predation by crown-of-thorns starfish. After harvesting, coral regenerates from the base or larval settlement and growth of a new colony occurs.
Controls on harvesting are achieved through stringent and robust management regulations. These include prior logbook reporting, quota limits, compliance checks, policy review and Non-detriment findings.
It is estimated that the Great Barrier Reef accumulates 5 million tonnes of coral growth per year. Our annual harvest of coral is an extremely small portion of this annual coral growth and is insignificant when compared with the impacts of natural events such as storms, cyclones and predation by crown-of-thorns starfish. After harvesting, coral regenerates from the base or larval settlement and growth of a new colony occurs.
Controls on harvesting are achieved through stringent and robust management regulations. These include prior logbook reporting, quota limits, compliance checks, policy review and Non-detriment findings.
GBRMPA reports that corals can survive bleaching events and regain their normal healthy colour once conditions improve. However, while the Great Barrier Reef has been extremely resilient in the past, coral reef scientists predict that the increasing incidence and severity of coral bleaching and acidification of the oceans through rising carbon dioxide levels threaten the future of coral reefs worldwide, including the Great Barrier Reef.
To ensure that our harvesting remains responsive to these impacts, we are a participant to a voluntary Stewardship Action Plan developed with close and on-going collaboration with senior fishery managers and coral scientists. The aim of the plan is to develop and document non-regulatory approaches for world's best practices, thereby engendering community and market confidence in the coral harvesting industry, particularly in terms of environmental performance and responding to the challenge of global climate change. The plan describes 'best practice' collection standards including detailed contingency operational plans for coral bleaching events, and will undergo continuous review and improvement.
To ensure that our harvesting remains responsive to these impacts, we are a participant to a voluntary Stewardship Action Plan developed with close and on-going collaboration with senior fishery managers and coral scientists. The aim of the plan is to develop and document non-regulatory approaches for world's best practices, thereby engendering community and market confidence in the coral harvesting industry, particularly in terms of environmental performance and responding to the challenge of global climate change. The plan describes 'best practice' collection standards including detailed contingency operational plans for coral bleaching events, and will undergo continuous review and improvement.