New plan helps safeguard jewels of the Great Barrier Reef

12:50 AM Tue 8 Dec 2009 GMT

'The GBR streaches over 1500km along the Queensland coast. Photo courtesy of The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority' Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Click Here to view large photo

New industry standards, ensuring aquarium stocks are sustainably sourced from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, is officially unveiled in Townsville.

Licensed aquarium fish and coral collectors association, Pro-vision Reef, developed the plan for uniform industry standards to ensure their industry operated in a sustainable manner and is adaptable to climate change.

Regarded as a global benchmark for sustainability in the aquarium industry, the plan details low impact strategies for collecting. It also requires Pro-vision Reef members, who represent 90 per cent of active licensees, to provide information on the health of habitats at collection sites.

Pro-vision Reef President Lyle Squire Jr said that while their industry operated within the world's highest standards of fishery management, it was the duty of all industries to demonstrate their best efforts to protect the environment and to plan for climate change.

'Our Stewardship Action Plan is an industry led, bottom up approach to building community understanding and confidence in our day-to-day practices,' he said.

'It describes what we do in the water and demonstrates our long-term commitment to protecting the marine environment.

'The plan is independently overseen and provides opportunities for community concerns to be addressed. We are serious in our endeavour to create an international standard on the basis of the fishery on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Coral Sea.

'In developing the plan we consulted with coral reef scientists and collaborated with fishery and protected area managers to ensure that our initiative is the real deal.

'To ensure the validity and continuous improvement of the plan, our industry has committed funds to independent research that will examine and guide our practices, particularly in light of predictions related to climate change.'

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Chairman Russell Reichelt welcomed the plan by Pro-vision Reef as one of the first fishing industry-driven initiatives of its kind, recognising its importance for the long-term health of the Great Barrier Reef.

'Climate change is one of the greatest threats to coral reefs worldwide and the Queensland marine aquarium industry is to be commended for ensuring its activities are sustainable in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park,' he said.

'The Stewardship Action Plan is an excellent initiative, drawing together industry local knowledge and all available research to help this commercial industry adapt to the effects of climate change.

'The plan provides a great model to help other fishing sectors develop their own strategies to address the impacts of climate change.'

Jim Groves, Managing Director of Fisheries Queensland in the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, agreed the plan was a significant achievement.

'By taking practices above and beyond already world-class fisheries management standards this industry has shown its commitment to environmental conservation, sustainable use and co-management of marine resources,' he said.

'This industry is establishing an important precedent for eco-friendly and profitable fisheries of the future in Queensland.'

The Stewardship Action Plan was developed by Pro-vision Reef in conjunction with marine management agencies. The plan is available online at www.pro-visionreef.org

www.gbrmpa.gov.au

by Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority