One of the biggest decisions when planning a dive holiday is where to go and then who to choose. Choosing your vacation spot should take into account your impact on the reefs you will visit and enjoy. The latest global report “Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008” by Clive Wilkinson details the effect of management practices in different areas of the world and damages sustained of the last four years since the last report. This report should assist in your decision.
Page 11 of the report show the general health of reefs by regions in table form.
Page 18 shows the ongoing monitoring level per region.
In Australia, the report clearly shows the work between the various bodies, such as GBRMPA, Dive and Charter Operators, the Fishing Community as well as the general local community, is showing real results and will continue to improve the health and the condition of the Great Barrier Reef. Below is and extract from the report and I urge further governments around the world to adopt the model used here in Australia to avoid more reefs being categorised as lost.
“Reefs of Australia continue to be well managed and relatively stable with no major climate change or cyclone events damaging the reefs since 2004. Management continues to set the benchmark for best practice, both in Eastern Australia on the Great Barrier Reef and, more recently, off Western Australia. Particular features are the effective partnerships between coral reef science and management. The situation is the reverse in Papua New Guinea with inadequate coral reef conservation and monitoring, with most of this being performed via large NGOs working with local communities. PNG still has vast areas of healthy and biodiversity-rich coral reefs but human pressures, both from within and externally, are increasing.”