Catchment management and the Great Barrier Reef

Pollution of coastal regions of the Great Barrier Reef is dominated by runo ff from the adjacent catchment. Catchment land-use is dominated by beef gra zing and cropping, largely sugarcane cultivation, with relatively minor urb an development. Runoff of sediment, nutrients and pesticides is increasing and for nitrogen is now four times the natural amount discharged 150 years ago. Significant effects and potential threats are now evident on inshore r eefs, seagrasses and marine animals. There is no effective legislation or p rocesses in place to manage agricultural pollution. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act does not provide effective jurisdiction on the catchment. Q ueensland legislation relies on voluntary codes and there is no assessment of the effectiveness of the codes. Integrated catchment management strategi es, also voluntary, provide some positive outcomes but are of limited succe ss. Pollutant loads are predicted to continue to increase and it is unlikel y that current management regimes will prevent this. New mechanisms to prev ent continued degradation of inshore ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef W orld Heritage Area are urgently needed.