Reef Monitoring and Reporting

Reef 2050 Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program

The Reef 2050 Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program (RIMReP) is a coordinated and integrated monitoring, modelling and reporting program for the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), which:

• Underpins the Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan’s (Reef 2050 Plan) adaptive management approach, evaluating whether actions are on track to achieving targets;
• Allows the early detection of trends and changes in the Reef’s environment;
• Informs the assessment of key threats and future risks;
• Enables timely management responses;
• Ensures investments are focused on actions that will effectively deliver measurable results;
• Informs annual report cards and the five-yearly Outlook Report;
• Drives the coordination, alignment and integration of existing monitoring, modelling and reporting programs to capitalise on existing program investment, provide value for money, improve efficiency and avoid duplication of effort.

The Reef Knowledge System, is the online access point for RIMReP, with parts of it accessible to the public. It provides a portal linking to monitoring information drawn from multiples sources, links to Program partner systems and interactive maps and information.

The program’s knowledge system is intended to enable the early detection of trends and changes in the Reef’s environment.

 

Great Barrier Reef partnerships for improved water quality and ecosystems

There are a number of regional partnerships across Queensland, particularly in the GBR catchment which are monitoring our river ecosystems that feed to the reef, including:

• Fitzroy Partnership for River Health;
• Mackay-Whitsunday Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership; and
• Gladstone Healthy Harbours Partnership.

The partnerships are made up of representatives from Government, agriculture, resources (including a number of QRC’s members), other commercial industry, tourism, research and community interests. They develop report cards, which are designed to inform consideration of whether current management strategies are proving successful in maintaining the health of the regions’ river ecosystems and ultimately the Great Barrier Reef.

Beyond the partnerships, the Queensland Government has established the Reef Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022 for key catchments across the State, which sets the framework and targets for improving the health and condition of GBR waterways. The catchment profiles also provide information about each area including size and rainfall, land use, targets, the priorities for water quality improvement and sources of pollutants.

 

The science behind the state of the Great Barrier Reef

The state of the GBR has been comprehensively analysed in recent years. Independent scientific studies have identified major threats to the GBR’s health:

• Climate change;
• Poor water quality from land-based runoff;
• Coastal development; and
• Direct human use, such as illegal fishing and light and noise pollution.

The key documents underpinning GBR policy and decision making are: