Australia considers hosing the Great Barrier Reef

By Yusof Sulaiman l eTN Pacific
Australian marine scientists have proposed ‘hosing down’ the Australian Great Barrier Reef to protect the corals from being damaged as a result of climate change. Speaking at the recent Ecotourism Australia Conference, Andrew Skeat, executive director of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, said the proposal involves watering the ocean surface at peak heat times to avoid coral bleaching, which is caused by higher than average water temperatures linked with global climate change, and when organisms which make up corals die leaving behind white limestone skeleton.
Under the proposal, a fine spray of seawater will be pumped onto the reef to break up the ocean water, cooling the corals.

“Climate changes will eventually affect the way tourism is operated on the Great Barrier Reef,” said Skeat. “Tourism operators have to make adjustments.”
A tourism working group established in 2004 to prepare for climate change on the reef found the proposal is effective in reducing radiation and coral bleaching.
It also considered permanently placing sunshades over some areas of the reef. The sunshade, currently being developed in Queensland, would be held in place by floating pontoons, according to marine researchers.

The group also proposed a more flexible proposal of site-based operations, moving to different parts of the reef which are showing significant coral bleaching effects.

“The damaged areas have to be given a rest while marine ecosystems around the world are at risk from climate change,” said Skeat. “It is not an ecological scale solution to climate change.”
Fran Bailey, Australian tourism minister said in a radio interview, the government is concerned as the reef alone employs about 33,000 workers in Australia’s US$4.5 billion tourism industry.
“Whether it is practicable and cost effective is another question,” added Skeat. “But the industry is positive about it and not fighting it.

Marine biologist Russel Hore from Reef Biosearch said though Australia have not had the full effects, in some places around the world large areas of coral reefs are dying off. “It’s really just a matter of time and we need to start looking at the matter seriously.”
The UNESCO World Heritage listed reef, stretching over more than 345,000 sq kilometers (133,000 sq miles ) off the coast of Queensland, is the world’s largest coral system.

November 7, 2006   Posted in: Australia