The Coral Sea: Our Ocean Paradise
Questions & Answers

1.    Where is the Coral Sea and what is the area Protect our Coral Sea are proposing for protection?

The proposed Coral Sea Marine Park lies off the continental shelf, between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) and the limit of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and shares the same southern boundary as the GBRMP. The area is almost one million square kilometers (989,842km2).

The proposed Coral Sea Marine Reserve is a long way offshore, starting on the other (eastern) side of the GBRMP.  For example it is 106kms offshore (57 nautical miles) east of Cairns at its closest point; 215kms offshore (116 nautical miles) east of Mackay at its closest point; 93km offshore (50 nautical miles) east of Innisfail at its closest point; and 96kms offshore (52 nautical miles) east of Cooktown at its closest point.



2.    Isn’t the government proposing a marine reserve in the Coral Sea?

Yes, the Federal Government is proposing to establish a marine reserve in Australia’s Coral Sea. The proposed Coral Sea Marine Reserve is a good start but falls short of fully protecting the area’s fragile coral reefs and spectacular marine life. It would prohibit oil and gas exploration and development, as well as trawling throughout the entire area and establish a highly protected zone (called a marine national park) in the eastern half of the reserve. However it would also leave over 90% of the Coral Sea’s coral reefs, as well as underwater volcanoes and critical spawning and migration routes open to various forms of fishing. The Protect our Coral Sea coalition is therefore urging the Government to extend the proposed marine national park north, west and south to include many more coral reefs and other special and important habitats. The ninety day public consultation period into the Government’s proposed Coral Sea Marine Reserve closed on the 24th of February 2012.  We expect the final plan will be released mid-2012.

3.    What is the Protect Our Coral Sea coalition?

First formed in 2008, Protect our Coral Sea has grown to a become a fourteen member coalition of Australian and international conservation groups which is advocating for the establishment of a very large, world-class, highly protected marine national park in the Coral Sea. The fourteen groups are: Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Marine Conservation Society, Cairns and Far North Environment Centre, Greenpeace, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Parks Association of Queensland, North Queensland Conservation Council, Pew Environment Group, Project AWARE Foundation, Queensland Conservation Council, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Wildlife Queensland and WWF-Australia. The large amount of interest in the Coral Sea from the global conservation community is testament to its outstanding natural values.
 
4.    What kinds of habitats are found in the Coral Sea?

The Coral Sea is renowned for its great diversity of habitats. It includes up to 30 coral atolls (the GBR has no atolls), dozens of small islands and sand cays; three huge plateaus, which are thought to contain the largest plateau reefs in the world, two very wide trenches which hosts major spawning aggregations, and many deep canyons, one known as the Bligh Canyon which has 300 m deep sheer walls, 8 kms across and 230 kms long, dwarfing the Grand Canyon!

5.    What type of marine life is found in the Coral Sea?

The Coral Sea is globally significant for its large schools of big ocean fish, called pelagic species. These include tunas, marlin and sharks which still roam the Coral Sea’s vast waters in healthy numbers. In the past 50-60 years around the world, big ocean fish have been severely overfished, leading to a 90% loss of these ocean giants. This makes the Coral Sea special on a global scale. At least 28 species of whales and dolphins have been reported, some found in pods up to 400 strong. Living fossils such as the deep sea nautilus and huge gardens of soft corals some growing up to 2 metres tall give a glimpse of some of the amazing marine life found in this ocean treasure.

6.    What threatened species are found in the Coral Sea?

The Coral Sea is one of the most intact tropical marine environments on Earth, yet it is home to 341 species which are globally threatened with extinction including endangered green turtles which nest on the Coral Sea islands and cays, and critically endangered hawksbill turtles which forage for food amongst the reefs. A number of globally threatened species are taken commercially including: humphead maori wrasse (endangered); bigeye tuna (vulnerable) and yellowfin tuna, albacore tuna and striped marlin (near threatened).

7.    What uses would be allowed and what prohibited in the proposal by the Protect our Coral Sea coalition?

The Protect our Coral Sea proposal would prohibit commercial fishing and allow dive tourism, cruise and commercial shipping, defense activities, boating, yachting and other non-extractive use. It would allow catch and release game fishing in a strip along the GBRMP border. The strip would partially reflect the GBRMP’s zoning plan, so where a large green zone (no-take area) extends to the eastern boundary of the GBRMP, that zoning would be extended into the proposed Coral Sea reserve.

8.    Why is it important for the Coral Sea to be fully protected?

There is an urgent need to protect large areas of the ocean from fishing to ensure the survival of large pelagic species. Over 40% of the world’s coral reefs have disappeared and an additional 15% are in a critical state. The Coral Sea has some of the most intact coral reef systems on the planet. Currently, less than 1% of the world’s oceans are highly protected. Moreover, the individual reefs of the Coral Sea are exceptionally distinctive. Unlike the reefs of the GBR where the corals present in one reef region are a good indication of those present in another, each reef of the Coral Sea has a highly individual suite of species.

9.    Wouldn’t pelagic (ocean-going) fish just get caught when they swim out of the reserve?

Species identified as ‘highly migratory’ often display predictable movement patterns where the majority (70-90%) of the population moves an average 600 km. Even protecting a part of a species’ range or life cycles, especially important feeding or breeding grounds, reduces overall population mortality.  

10.    Do highly protected areas really work?

Prevention is always better than cure – protecting the Coral Sea will ensure its natural values are not slowly lost as has happened in much of the rest of the ocean. There is overwhelming evidence that fully protected areas help depleted species recover and they can enhance the viability of fishing in the future. Since one third of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was protected from fishing in 2004, the density of coral trout – a highly prized commercial species – has increased by an average of 57-75% in most reefs throughout the Marine Park (Adams, S., Mapstone, B.D., Russ, G.R., and Davies, C.R. 2000).

11.    Is there community support for protecting the Coral Sea?

Yes, the protection of the Coral Sea is one of Australia’s most supported environmental initiatives. Hundreds of thousands of people throughout Queensland, Australia and the world urged greater protection of the Coral Sea’s vulnerable reefs, underwater volcanoes and other important features during the federal government’s public consultation on the proposed marine reserve which closed on the 24th of February 2012. This enormous show of support follows close collaboration with many sectors including both tourism and commercial fishing throughout the campaign.

12.    Does the Coral Sea need to be highly protected to secure its historic heritage value?

The Coral Sea is of great historic significance to Australia.  It was the site of the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 which turned the tide of WWII in the Pacific. Three US ships sank and remain on the ocean floor in Australian waters. Two hundred and sixteen crew of the USS Lexington lost their lives. The area may well be a war grave and it is a tradition in Australia and elsewhere to pay due respect to such sites. A highly protected marine park would give a high level of recognition and respect to those who fought and died there.

13.    Will protection of the Coral Sea mean it is somehow protected against the impacts of global warming? If so how?

Only a dramatic reduction in Australia’s and the world’s greenhouse gas emissions will adequately protect the future of the world’s coral reefs. A high level of protection for the Coral Sea would result in a more biologically diverse healthy and resilient ecosystem, more able to recover from coral bleaching events.

14.    Will the protection of the Coral Sea threaten the Queensland economy?

No. The oil and gas industry is not interested in exploring the Coral Sea. The Gross Value of Production of all commercial fishing in the Coral Sea was $7 million in 2008 (later figures are not publicly available). A group of commercial long line fishers who represent 88% of the catch history in the Coral Sea between 2005-2009 inclusive, have sent a submission to the government, stating their support to exit the area provided a fair and reasonable structural adjustment package is provided.

A Coral Sea Marine Reserve would provide direct benefits to the Queensland and Australian tourism industry. In 2006/07, the value of the GBR tourism industry in both the Reef and its catchments was $5,117 billion, compared to $139 million for commercial fishing and $153 million for recreational use including fishing. The current value of dive tourism in the Coral Sea is $6 million, however, this figure is likely to rise once a marine park is declared.

15.    Will protecting the Coral Sea mean job losses?

A Coral Sea Marine Reserve would see a net increase in jobs in North Queensland as well as Queensland as a whole. Marine Parks are well recognized as net job generators in the Australian economy. A Coral Sea Marine Park would be a major boost to adventure and ecotourism in North Queensland, at a time when this is much needed.

16.    Who is funding the campaign?

The campaign is funded by six organisations: the Lyda Hill Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Oak Foundation, the Robertson Foundation, the Sandler Foundation and the Waitt Foundation.

17.    Is the Coral Sea the only highly protected marine park environment groups are proposing in Australia?

No. As part of the federal government’s marine bioregional planning process, conservation organisations such as the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Pew Environment Group and others, are proposing marine parks to protect ocean life around the rest of the country, except the South East. A reserve network for the South East region of Australia was completed by the Howard government.