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Publications
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Prepared by an Intergovernmental Steering Committee comprising
Heads of Australian and Queensland Government Agencies involved in the RWQPP
The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (the Reef Plan) is a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland Governments. The Reef Plan’s goal is to halt and reverse the decline in water quality entering the Reef within ten years by reducing land sourced pollutants (sediment, nutrients and contaminants) entering the Reef, and by rehabilitating and conserving wetlands, riparian zones and floodplain areas.
The Reef Plan contains nine strategies and 65 actions. Responsibility for implementing specified strategies and defined actions is shared by all Reef Plan partners – government agencies, industry bodies, regional bodies, landholders, indigenous bodies and community groups. The success of the Reef Plan will be largely dependent on integration and co-ordination of activity by these partners.
Since the Reef Plan’s release in December 2003, a significant amount of progress in implementing the Reef Plan has been made. Activity has focussed on establishing administrative structures, developing partnership arrangements, investigating implementation options, policy development, and development of tools and frameworks to support implementation and evaluation. Government and industry continue to take up the challenge of enhancing sustainable agricultural land use practices with the development of Farm Management Systems, engagement with community Natural Management Regional Plans and ongoing research and extension programs.
Research findings since the Reef Plan release continue to underscore the importance of addressing land-based sources of sediment and nutrient run-off. In March 2004 a team of leading marine researchers presented the first conclusive evidence to demonstrate the link between nutrient run-off and crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks in the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. The scientists believe the research demonstrates that improved water quality will create greater coral cover and a healthier reef by, for example reducing the frequency of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks.
This report details the highlights and challenges of Reef Plan implementation. The annual report covers the period December 2003 to June 2004, as well as related activities which occurred during the Reef Plan development.