The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and utilised by Indigenous Australian people, whose occupation of the continent is thought to extend back 40,000 to 60,000 years or more. For these 70 or so clan groups, the reef is also an important part of their Dreamtime.
The Reef first became known to Europeans when the HM Bark
Endeavour, captained by explorer James Cook, ran aground there on June 11, 1770
and sustained considerable damage. It was finally saved after lightening the
ship as much as possible and re-floating it during an incoming tide. One of the
most famous wrecks was that of the HMS Pandora, which sank on August 29, 1791
killing 35. The Queensland Museum has been leading archaeological digs to the
Pandora since 1983.
Management of the Great Barrier Reef
After the Royal Commissions' findings, in 1975, the
Government of Australia created the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and defined
what activities were prohibited on the Great Barrier Reef. The park is managed,
in partnership with the Government of Queensland, through the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority to ensure that it is widely understood and used in a
sustainable manner. A combination of zoning, management plans, permits,
education and incentives (such as eco-tourism certification) are used in the
effort to conserve the Great Barrier Reef.
.png)
In July 2004, a new zoning plan was brought into effect for
the entire Marine Park, and has been widely acclaimed as a new global benchmark
for the conservation of marine ecosystems. While protection across the Marine
Park was improved, the highly protected zones increased from 4.5% to over
33.3%. At the time, it was the largest marine protected area in the world,
although as of 2006, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument is the
largest.
In 2006, a review was undertaken of the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park Act 1975. Some recommendations of the review are that there should
be no further zoning plan changes until 2013, and that every five years, a
peer-reviewed Outlook Report should be published, examining the health of the
Great Barrier Reef, the management of the Reef, and environmental pressures.
Great Barrier Reef Tourism
Due to its vast biodiversity, warm clear waters and its
accessibility from the floating guest facilities called 'live aboards', the
reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially scuba divers. Many
cities along the Queensland coast offer boat trips to the reef on a daily
basis. Several continental islands have been turned into resorts.
As the largest commercial activity in the region, it has
been estimated in 2003 that tourism in the Great Barrier Reef generates over
AU$4 billion annually. (A 2005 estimate puts the figure at AU$5.1 billion.)
There are approximately two million visitors to the Great Barrier Reef each
year. Although most of these visits are managed in partnership with the marine
tourism industry, there are some very popular areas near shore (such as Green
Island) that have suffered damage due to overfishing and land based run off.
A variety of boat tours and cruises are offered, from single
day trips, to longer voyages. Boat sizes range from dinghies to 2023 dogs calendars . Glass-bottomed
boats and underwater observatories are also popular, as are helicopter flights.
But by far, the most popular tourist activities on the Great Barrier Reef are
snorkelling and diving. Pontoons are often used for snorkelling and diving.
When a pontoon is used, the area is often enclosed by nets. The outer part of
the Great Barrier Reef is favoured for such activities, due to water quality.
.png)
Management of tourism in the Great Barrier Reef is geared
towards making tourism ecologically sustainable. A daily fee is levied that
goes towards research of the Great Barrier Reef. This fee ends up being 20% of
the GBRMPA's income. Plans of management are also in place for the popular
tourist destinations of Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands, which comprise 85%
of tourism in the region. Policies on cruise ships, bareboat charters, and
anchorages limit the traffic on the Great Barrier Reef. The 2003 Pixar film,
Finding Nemo, featured the Great Barrier Reef as a setting.
Fishing in the Great Barrier Reef
The fishing industry in the Great Barrier Reef, controlled
by the Queensland Government, is worth AU$1 billion annually. It employs
approximately 2000 people, and fishing in the Great Barrier Reef is pursued
commercially, for recreation, and as a traditional means for feeding one's
family. Wonky holes in the reef provide particularly productive fishing areas.
Web: https://justcalendars.com.au/
Social links:
https://moztw.hackpad.tw/Faz-Daybed-Equipped-With-Built-In-Speakers-cO1dig73AmH
https://pasteboard.co/TRVVwnOaEmu2.png
https://telegra.ph/Modern-Minimalist-Bathroom-Furniture-by-Ronan-and-Eerwan-Bouroullec-06-13
Comments
Post a Comment