Estuarine and marine ecosystems
You are viewing the archived 2015 report.
Key messages
Key findings — Estuarine
State
- Extent and rate of change in estuarine wetlands
More than 96% of the pre-European settlement extent of estuarine wetlands in Queensland remained in 2013. Changes in the extent of estuarine wetlands in Queensland have been monitored since 2001. The highest rate of estuarine wetland loss was recorded during the 2009-2013 period (0.03%) mostly in the North East Coast drainage division.
Of the two broad estuarine wetland types—mangroves and salt marsh/salt flats—the greatest ongoing losses have occurred in salt marsh/salt flats in the North East Coast Drainage division yet more than 95% remain intact.
- Estuarine wetlands within protected areas
Thirty-six per cent of estuarine wetlands across Queensland are within an area of managed protection—which often overlap—of which 26% are in declared fish habitat area, 12% in are highly protected marine park zones and only 5% are in protected areas.
- Condition of estuarine ecosystem health
Queensland's estuarine aquatic ecosystems vary significantly in condition. Some are in good to very good condition while others do not meet standards for water quality.
- Marine parks and fish habitat areas
About 17%—or 1.8 million hectares—of Queensland’s total marine wetlands are in highly protected marine park zones or a declared fish habitat area.
- Condition of ecological processes
At a reef-wide scale, most ecological processes are considered to be in good condition; however the inshore southern two-thirds of the region are in decline.
- Key fish stocks
The majority of Queensland’s key fish stocks are considered sustainable.
- Condition of marine ecosystem health
Queensland’s marine environments vary significantly in condition. Some are in good to very good condition while others do not meet standards for water quality.
Pressure
- Pressures affecting estuarine ecosystems
Sediment, nutrients and chemicals are the major catchment pressures that broadly impact Queensland estuaries but vary in their relative importance between regions.
- Pressures affecting marine ecosystems
Sediment, nutrients, chemicals and litter are the major catchment pressures that broadly impact Queensland’s marine environments.
- Climate change pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
At a reef-wide scale, climate related variables are already having an effect, and are predicted to continue to have far-reaching consequences for the reef ecosystem.
- Coastal development pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Changes to coastal habitat and reductions in connectivity are having an increasing effect on the region's ecosystem.
- Direct use pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
At a reef-wide scale, direct use of the region is a significant economic contributor and its impact on the region’s ecosystem is projected to increase with population growth.
- Land-based run-off pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Declining marine water quality is one of the most significant threats to the reef however agricultural practices are improving, resulting in reductions in land-based run-off entering the region.
- Crown-of-thorns starfish pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Evidence suggests increased nutrient loads contribute to more frequent outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish—a major predator of coral—resulting in coral cover decline.
- Invasive non-native flora and fauna species identified in marine ecosystems
Queensland remains largely free of invasive non-native marine flora and fauna species (marine pests), despite a high possibility of introduction through international shipping activity.
Programs
| Wetlandinfo | Wetlandinfo provides detailed information of the state’s wetlands (including lakes, swamps, rivers, estuaries and oceans) based on an innovative mapping and classification methodology. It uses existing information including water body mapping derived from Landsat satellite imagery, regional ecosystem mapping, topographic data, and the Species Recovery Information Gateway (Spring) database to provide consistent, detailed and high resolution wetland mapping for the whole of Queensland. |
| Healthy Waterways South East Queensland report card | The Healthy Waterways Report Card commenced in 2000 with estuarine and marine monitoring, adding freshwater in 2002. The report card includes the results of waterway monitoring from more than 600 sites across the region, including fresh, estuarine and marine water quality, mud sampling, fish sampling and seagrass mapping collected in the previous financial year by Queensland Government scientists. The Healthy Waterways Report Card reports annually on the condition and trend of South East Queensland (SEQ) waterways to understand and communicate the health of waterways, and identify issues that require intervention. The 2015 report card introduced new indicators, including riparian vegetation, and combines indicators to calculate one overall grade per catchment: it combines freshwater streams and estuarine environments and integrates creeks into catchments to provide a holistic overview of catchment condition. |
| Gladstone Harbour Pilot Report Card | The Gladstone Harbour Report Card reports on estuarine and marine condition in the harbour based on monitoring of ecological and biological indicators, and also reports on social, economic and cultural indicators. The report card helps enable stakeholders to have confidence in the efforts to maintain and improve the health of the harbour. |
| Fitzroy Basin Report Card | The Fitzroy Basin Report Card reports on aquatic ecosystem health of freshwater and estuarine condition for the Fitzroy Basin, as well as drinking water results for Rockhampton and Central Highlands. The report card helps inform whether current management strategies are proving successful in maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems and helps guide and improve planning and investments towards improved aquatic ecosystem health by governments and all partner organisations. |
| Mackay-Whitsunday Pilot Report Card | The Mackay–Whitsunday Pilot Report Card, released in October 2015, reports on the health of the region’s waterways, including the catchments of the Don, Proserpine, Pioneer, O’Connell and Plane basins, eight estuaries, and the inshore and offshore marine areas to the eastern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef. The report card will help community, industry, science, tourism and government to work together to determine what more can be done to look after our waterways. |
Key findings — Marine
State
- Extent and rate of change in estuarine wetlands
More than 96% of the pre-European settlement extent of estuarine wetlands in Queensland remained in 2013. Changes in the extent of estuarine wetlands in Queensland have been monitored since 2001. The highest rate of estuarine wetland loss was recorded during the 2009-2013 period (0.03%) mostly in the North East Coast drainage division.
Of the two broad estuarine wetland types—mangroves and salt marsh/salt flats—the greatest ongoing losses have occurred in salt marsh/salt flats in the North East Coast Drainage division yet more than 95% remain intact.
- Estuarine wetlands within protected areas
Thirty-six per cent of estuarine wetlands across Queensland are within an area of managed protection—which often overlap—of which 26% are in declared fish habitat area, 12% in are highly protected marine park zones and only 5% are in protected areas.
- Condition of estuarine ecosystem health
Queensland's estuarine aquatic ecosystems vary significantly in condition. Some are in good to very good condition while others do not meet standards for water quality.
- Marine parks and fish habitat areas
About 17%—or 1.8 million hectares—of Queensland’s total marine wetlands are in highly protected marine park zones or a declared fish habitat area.
- Condition of ecological processes
At a reef-wide scale, most ecological processes are considered to be in good condition; however the inshore southern two-thirds of the region are in decline.
- Key fish stocks
The majority of Queensland’s key fish stocks are considered sustainable.
- Condition of marine ecosystem health
Queensland’s marine environments vary significantly in condition. Some are in good to very good condition while others do not meet standards for water quality.
Pressure
- Pressures affecting estuarine ecosystems
Sediment, nutrients and chemicals are the major catchment pressures that broadly impact Queensland estuaries but vary in their relative importance between regions.
- Pressures affecting marine ecosystems
Sediment, nutrients, chemicals and litter are the major catchment pressures that broadly impact Queensland’s marine environments.
- Climate change pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
At a reef-wide scale, climate related variables are already having an effect, and are predicted to continue to have far-reaching consequences for the reef ecosystem.
- Coastal development pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Changes to coastal habitat and reductions in connectivity are having an increasing effect on the region's ecosystem.
- Direct use pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
At a reef-wide scale, direct use of the region is a significant economic contributor and its impact on the region’s ecosystem is projected to increase with population growth.
- Land-based run-off pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Declining marine water quality is one of the most significant threats to the reef however agricultural practices are improving, resulting in reductions in land-based run-off entering the region.
- Crown-of-thorns starfish pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Evidence suggests increased nutrient loads contribute to more frequent outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish—a major predator of coral—resulting in coral cover decline.
- Invasive non-native flora and fauna species identified in marine ecosystems
Queensland remains largely free of invasive non-native marine flora and fauna species (marine pests), despite a high possibility of introduction through international shipping activity.
Programs
| Wetlandinfo | Wetlandinfo provides detailed information of the state’s wetlands (including lakes, swamps, rivers, estuaries and oceans) based on an innovative mapping and classification methodology. It uses existing information including water body mapping derived from Landsat satellite imagery, regional ecosystem mapping, topographic data, and the Species Recovery Information Gateway (Spring) database to provide consistent, detailed and high resolution wetland mapping for the whole of Queensland. |
| Healthy Waterways South East Queensland report card | The Healthy Waterways Report Card commenced in 2000 with estuarine and marine monitoring, adding freshwater in 2002. The report card includes the results of waterway monitoring from more than 600 sites across the region including fresh, estuarine and marine water quality, mud sampling, fish sampling and seagrass mapping, collected in the previous financial year by Queensland Government scientists. The Healthy Waterways Report Card reports annually on the condition and trend of South East Queensland (SEQ) waterways to understand and communicate the health of waterways, and identify issues that require intervention. The 2015 report card introduced new indicators, including riparian vegetation, and combines indicators to calculate one overall grade per catchment: it combines freshwater streams and estuarine environments and integrates creeks into catchments to provide a holistic overview of catchment condition. |
| Gladstone Harbour Pilot Report Card | The Gladstone Harbour Report card reports on estuarine and marine condition in the harbour based on monitoring of ecological and biological indicators, and also reports on social, economic and cultural indicators. The report card helps enable stakeholders to have confidence in the efforts to maintain and improve the health of the harbour. |
| Fitzroy Basin Report Card | The Fitzroy Basin Report Card reports on aquatic ecosystem health of freshwater and estuarine condition for the Fitzroy Basin, as well as drinking water results for Rockhampton and Central Highlands. The report card helps inform whether current management strategies are proving successful in maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems and helps guide and improve planning and investments towards improved aquatic ecosystem health by governments and all partner organisations. |
| Mackay-Whitsunday Pilot Report Card | The Mackay–Whitsunday Pilot Report Card, released in October 2015, reports on the health of the region’s waterways, including the catchments of the Don, Proserpine, Pioneer, O’Connell and Plane basins, eight estuaries, and the inshore and offshore marine areas to the eastern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef. The report card will help community, industry, science, tourism and government to work together to determine what more can be done look after our waterways. |
| Eye on the Reef | Eye on the Reef program enables anyone who visits the Great Barrier Reef to contribute to its long-term protection by collecting valuable information about the reef health, marine animals and incidents. Contributions range from sharing photos through the app to undertaking rapid surveys of key species. All information collected through the Eye on the Reef program is combined into a centralised data reporting system available to marine park managers and researchers. |
| Great Barrier Reef Report Card and Paddock to Reef Integrated Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting Program (Paddock to Reef Program) | The Great Barrier Reef Report Card reports annually on inshore marine condition for the Great Barrier Reef. It also assesses progress towards the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan goal and targets aimed at improving land management and the quality of water entering the reef. Monitoring is undertaken through the Paddock to Reef program. The marine component is delivered by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Marine Monitoring Program. Assessments of inshore marine condition include marine water quality, seagrass health and coral health. |
| Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report | Every five years the Outlook Report examines the Great Barrier Reef’s health, pressures and likely future. It provides a snapshot of current condition and trend of Great Barrier Reef values and threats (through theme assessments). It also examines progress in protecting the reef through an assessment of management effectiveness. |
| Australian Institute of Marine Monitoring | This program surveys 47 midshore and offshore reefs across the Great Barrier Reef region and represents the longest continuous record of change in reef communities over such a large geographic area. The program captures the natural variability of coral and fish populations and documents effects of disturbances such as crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, cyclones and bleaching events. The data provides awareness of other threats to the reef (such as outbreaks of coral disease) and other issues of concern to reef managers. |
| Fisheries Queensland Long-term Monitoring Program | The Fisheries Queensland Long-term Monitoring Program collects fishery data for key fish species and stocks to inform fisheries management and stock status assessments. |