- Australian Institute of Marine Science underwater surveys shows unprecedented coral death on southern reef – a month after survey results showed similar devastation on northern section
- Surveyed reefs in the Capricorn Bunkers region have lost 41% of their coral cover
- Reef faces another summer from hell with heat building in the water amid bleaching warnings for northern section – temperatures already 0.5-1oC above average
- Australia must slash greenhouse gas emissions and stop approving new fossil fuel developments to give our reef a fighting chance
The Great Barrier Reef faces another tough summer, the Australian Marine Conservation Society said today after the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) released more underwater survey results showing unprecedented coral losses from the southern section of the Great Barrier Reef following a severe bleaching event earlier this year.
The AIMS Long Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) underwater surveys found substantial death of corals in the Capricorn Bunker region, with a 41% loss of coral cover, which is the largest annual decline for this sector since the LTMP began. This region includes some of the jewels of the Reef’s crown, including popular tourist sites such as Heron Island, Lady Elliot Island and Lady Musgrave Island.
AIMS last month released the results of its underwater surveys for the northern section of the Reef, covering the Cooktown-Lizard Island section, which showed that one third of the corals that bleached this year have died.
AMCS Great Barrier Reef Campaigner Simon Miller said: “The severe bleaching event we saw earlier this year has caused the single largest annual decline in hard coral cover on the southern section of the Great Barrier Reef since surveys began.
“The Reef faces another summer from hell with heat already building up in the water and coral bleaching warnings for much of the northern Reef, with temperatures already 0.5-1oC above average.
“Our Great Barrier Reef is enduring more frequent and intense bleaching events, one after another with insufficient time to recover, which can take more than a decade.
“We know what needs to be done to help give the Great Barrier Reef a fighting chance. Australia must urgently commit to more action to battle climate change, slashing greenhouse gas emissions and stop approving new fossil fuel developments.
“The Australian and Queensland governments need to submit a report to World Heritage Committee advisers UNESCO by February 1, detailing mortality rates from the bleaching event and presenting an updated emissions reduction target. The new Queensland Government now has an opportunity to show it has a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions to keep the Reef off the World Heritage ‘In Danger’ list.
“The Australian and Queensland Governments must also develop a coral bleaching response plan. We need to treat these major events with the urgency they deserve to increase the resilience of Reefs that are being impacted by bleaching and cyclones. The immediate response should include tangible actions such as stopping the harvest of wild corals and focussing on removing crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) from affected reefs, as well as urgently cutting water pollution and ensuring fisheries are sustainable.
“Without immediate measures, we risk losing one of the world’s most treasured ecosystems.”
Reef surveys are still underway, and scientists continue to monitor the impact of the 2024 bleaching event.
