query: australia 's great barrier reef as well as low coral islands in the pacific are vulnerable to

pos: Great Barrier Reef shown that benthic communities are just as negatively impacted in the face of rising ocean temperatures. Five Great Barrier Reef species of large benthic corals were found bleached under elevated temperatures, affirming that benthic corals are vulnerable to thermal stress. Another key threat faced by the Great Barrier Reef is pollution and declining water quality. The rivers of north eastern Australia pollute the Reef during tropical flood events. Over 90% of this pollution comes from farm runoff. 80% of the land adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef is used for farming including intensive cropping of sugar cane, and major beef

neg: Pacific Ocean the andesite line and include New Guinea, the islands of New Zealand, and the Philippines. Some of these islands are structurally associated with nearby continents. High islands are of volcanic origin, and many contain active volcanoes. Among these are Bougainville, Hawaii, and the Solomon Islands. The coral reefs of the South Pacific are low-lying structures that have built up on basaltic lava flows under the ocean's surface. One of the most dramatic is the Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia with chains of reef patches. A second island type formed of coral is the uplifted coral platform, which is usually

neg: Batt Reef Batt Reef Batt Reef is a coral reef off Port Douglas in Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia. Batt Reef is centred at and is part of the Great Barrier Reef. The reef is about 18 km long by 5 km (11 miles by 3 miles) wide, lying northwest to southeast, at the northern side of Trinity Passage that leads from the inner Reef channel from Trinity Bay to the Pacific Ocean. The north-west tip of the reef lies east of the Low Islets (Low and Woody Islands) which are in turn east of Newell Beach and northeast of Port Douglas.

neg: Wakatobi National Park islands are form the largest barrier reef in Indonesia, second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It is the habitat of large and small fish species, dolphins, turtles and whales. The island group comprises 143 islands of which 7 are inhabited, counting a total population of around 100,000. Most notable are the Bajo communities, seafaring nomads who inhabit many of Indonesia’s remote islands. Located in the Asia-Pacific World Coral Triangle, in the province of South East Sulawesi, the Wakatobi Islands offer clear waters and a rich bio-diverse underwater life. Wakatobi hosts 942 fish species and 750 coral reef

neg: Acropora multiacuta Indo-Pacific, the western Pacific, the Solomon Islands, Southeast Asia, Eastern Australia, Raja Ampat, and Papua New Guinea. In the Great Barrier Reef, this species is common, and also occurs in two regions of Indonesia. It is usually found in groups of colonies. Occurring at a maximum water temperature of , the population of the species is decreasing. It is threatened by climate change, rising sea temperatures leading to bleaching, coral disease, reef destruction, being prey to "Acanthaster planci", and human activity. It is classed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, is listed under CITES Appendix II, and

neg: Coral reef technology can monitor reef conditions. Designating a reef as a biosphere reserve, marine park, national monument or world heritage site can offer protections. For example, Belize's barrier reef, Sian Ka'an, the Galapagos islands, Great Barrier Reef, Henderson Island, Palau and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument are world heritage sites. In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and is the subject of much legislation, including a biodiversity action plan. Australia compiled a Coral Reef Resilience Action Plan. This plan consists of adaptive management strategies, including reducing carbon footprint. A public awareness plan providezs

neg: Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef the biofilm itself. The Great Barrier Reef is a biodiversity hotspot, but it is threatened by ocean acidification and its resulting increased temperature and reduced levels of aragonite. Elasmobranchs in the Great Barrier Reef are vulnerable to ocean acidification primarily due to their reliance on the habitat and ocean acidification's destruction of coral reefs. Rare and endemic species, such as the porcupine ray, are at high risk as well. Larval health and settlement of both calcifying and non-calcifying organisms can be harmed by ocean acidification. A predator to coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef, the Crown of Thorns sea

neg: Great Barrier Reef Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in

neg: Hoskyn Islands Islands includes genus "Pisonia", "Ficus" and "Pandanus" members. Hoskyn Islands Hoskyn Islands is a pair of small coral cays. They are located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Great Barrier Reef, 107 km due east of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, and 412 km north of the state capital Brisbane. The island is the fourth island in the Great Barrier Reef chain of islands (with the first being Lady Elliot Island), and is part of the Capricorn and Bunker Group of islands, forming part of the Capricornia Cays National Park as well as part of the Capricornia Cays Important Bird

neg: Fairfax Islands Fairfax Islands Fairfax Islands is a pair of small coral cays, both of which have been used as a bombing range. They are located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Great Barrier Reef, 113 km due east of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, and 405 km north of the state capital Brisbane. The island is the third island in the Great Barrier Reef chain of islands (with the first being Lady Elliot Island), and is part of the Capricorn and Bunker Group of islands and forms part of the Capricornia Cays National Park as well as of the Capricornia Cays

neg: Hoskyn Islands Hoskyn Islands Hoskyn Islands is a pair of small coral cays. They are located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Great Barrier Reef, 107 km due east of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, and 412 km north of the state capital Brisbane. The island is the fourth island in the Great Barrier Reef chain of islands (with the first being Lady Elliot Island), and is part of the Capricorn and Bunker Group of islands, forming part of the Capricornia Cays National Park as well as part of the Capricornia Cays Important Bird Area. Most people only see the island by

neg: Oceania is the Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia with chains of reef patches. A second island type formed of coral is the uplifted coral platform, which is usually slightly larger than the low coral islands. Examples include Banaba (formerly Ocean Island) and Makatea in the Tuamotu group of French Polynesia. Micronesia, which lies north of the equator and west of the International Date Line, includes the Mariana Islands in the northwest, the Caroline Islands in the center, the Marshall Islands to the west and the islands of Kiribati in the southeast. Melanesia, to the southwest, includes New Guinea, the world's

neg: Great Barrier Reef traditional owners groups agreed to cease the hunting of dugongs in the area in 2011 due to their declining numbers, partially accelerated by seagrass damage from Cyclone Yasi. Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed

neg: Australian blenny fin has two spines and 15–17 soft rays. The pectoral fin usually has 13 soft rays but can occasionally have 14. The tail (caudal) fin possesses 14 rays. Australian blennies are oviparous and lay eggs. The eggs develop at the bottom of the body of water and are adhesive. Australian blennies are distributed in the western Pacific Ocean, occurring in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. They are associated with coral reefs and occur in shallow waters along the northern Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Whilst they are currently restricted to the northern Great Barrier Reef region, their range

neg: Great Barrier Reef of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. The draft decision also warned Australia that it will not meet the targets of the Reef 2050 report without considerable work to improve water quality. Climate change has implications for other forms of reef life—some fish's preferred temperature range leads them to seek new habitat, thus increasing chick mortality in predatory seabirds. Climate change will also affect the population and sea turtle's available habitat. Bleaching events in benthic coral communities (deeper than ) in the Great Barrier reef are not as well documented as those at shallower depths, but recent research has

neg: Acropora lokani of aragonite (calcium carbonate). "Acropora lokani" is not common but found over a large area; the Indo-Pacific, Fiji, Southeast Asia, American Samoa, Raja Ampat, the Solomon Islands, Pohnpei, and also the Great Barrier Reef. It is native to American Samoa, Australia, three regions of Indonesia, Fiji, Micronesia, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guine, Samoa, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands. There is a lack of population data for the coral, but numbers are believed to be declining. It is threatened by climate change, rising sea temperatures causing bleaching, reef destruction, coral disease, being prey to starfish "Acanthaster planci",

neg: Great Barrier Reef of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and in the Swain Reefs (20–22 degrees south). Planar reefs are found in the northern and southern parts, near Cape York Peninsula, Princess Charlotte Bay, and Cairns. Most of the islands on the reef are found on planar reefs. The Great Barrier Reef supports an extraordinary diversity of life, including many vulnerable or endangered species, some of which may be endemic to the reef system. Thirty species of cetaceans have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef, including the dwarf minke whale, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and the humpback whale. Large populations of dugongs

neg: Coral Sea Islands cays and reefs of the Great Barrier Reef are not part of the territory, belonging to Queensland instead. The outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef is the boundary between Queensland and the Coral Sea Islands Territory. The territory is a possession or external territory of Australia, administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. Previously it was administered by the Attorney-General's Department and the Department of Transport and Regional Services). Defence is the responsibility of Australia, and the territory is visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy. Australia maintains automatic weather stations on many of

neg: Platax batavianus Platax batavianus The humpback batfish ("Platax batavianus"), is a species of batfish in the family Ephippidae. They are found in coral reefs around the Indo-Pacific region. Adults can grow up to at maximum. Humpback batfish are found in coral reefs around the Indo-Pacific. They are found in eastern Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, the Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, the Andaman Sea, Indonesia, and Australia in the Indian Ocean. In the Pacific Ocean, they are found in the Gulf of Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, and various Pacific islands not including Hawaii. They are encountered

neg: Acropora globiceps climate change, human activity, the crown-of-thorns starfish ("Acanthaster planci") and disease. It is found in the central and western Pacific Ocean and the central Indo-Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef, the Andaman Islands, the Philippines, Polynesia, the Pitcairn Islands, and Micronesia. It is found at around below the surface. It was described as "Madrepora globiceps" by Dana in 1846. Acropora globiceps Acropora globiceps is a species of acroporid coral found in the oceanic central and western Pacific Ocean and central Indo-Pacific. It can also be found in the Great Barrier Reef, the Philippines, the Andaman Islands, Polynesia, Micronesia and the

neg: Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest reef system, stretching along the East coast of Australia from the northern tip down to the town of Bundaberg, is composed of roughly 2,900 individual reefs and 940 islands and cays that stretch for 2,300 kilometres (1,616 mi) and cover an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. According to the 2014 report of the Australian Government's Great

neg: Coral Sea Islands Coral Sea Islands The Coral Sea Islands Territory is an external territory of Australia which comprises a group of small and mostly uninhabited tropical islands and reefs in the Coral Sea, northeast of Queensland, Australia. The only inhabited island is Willis Island. The territory covers , most of which is ocean, extending east and south from the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef and includes Heralds Beacon Island, Osprey Reef, the Willis Group and fifteen other reef/island groups. Cato Island is the highest point in the Territory. The Coral Sea Islands were first charted in 1803. In the 1870s

neg: Fairfax Islands had been rescued by the schooner "Caroline" (also reported by press as "Eleanor Palmer"). Fairfax Islands Fairfax Islands is a pair of small coral cays, both of which have been used as a bombing range. They are located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Great Barrier Reef, 113 km due east of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, and 405 km north of the state capital Brisbane. The island is the third island in the Great Barrier Reef chain of islands (with the first being Lady Elliot Island), and is part of the Capricorn and Bunker Group of islands and forms

neg: Trimma nasa Western Pacific coral reefs usually at depths of , though they have been known to reach below the water's surface. They have been recorded in Australia (including the Great Barrier Reef), Fiji, Indonesia, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Nasal dwarfgobies generally congregate in large, loose schools near coral reef drop-offs pockmarked by caves or recesses. They may school together with related species like the blue-striped cave goby ("Trimma tevegae"). They usually orient themselves vertically with their heads facing upwards along the coral reef wall and presumably feed on zooplankton traveling down the

neg: New Caledonian barrier reef New Caledonian barrier reef The New Caledonian barrier reef is located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific, and is the longest continuous barrier reef in the world and the second largest after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. The New Caledonian barrier reef surrounds Grande Terre, New Caledonia's largest island, as well as the Ile des Pins and several smaller islands, reaching a length of . The reef encloses a lagoon of , which has an average depth of . The reefs lie up to from the shore, but extend almost to the Entrecasteaux reefs in the northwest. This

neg: Acropora striata Acropora striata Acropora striata is a species of acroporid coral found in the southwest Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Japan and the East China Sea. It can also be found in the Marshall Islands, the Society Islands, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, western and eastern Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, Palau, the south Mariana Islands and Pohnpei. It occurs in tropical shallow reefs on reef flats or rocky foreshores, at depths of . It probably spawns in October and was described by Verrill in 1866. It was originally described as "Madrepora striata" by Verrill in 1866. It occurs

neg: Wilson Reef Wilson Reef Wilson Reef is a small (4.5 ha) coral reef within the Great Barrier Reef complex of Queensland, Australia. It lies about 30 km north of Cape Melville on the Cape York Peninsula in the habitat protection zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It has some unnamed sand cays which are used by seabirds but no significant islands. It is named after Peter Wilson, a New Zealander whose ship crashed on the reef in 1927. The reef has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it has supported over 1% of the

neg: Seriatopora aculeata Seriatopora aculeata Seriatopora aculeata is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Pocilloporidae. It forms a bushy clump. It is native to the Central Indo-Pacific and the Oceanic West Pacific. Its range includes the Philippines, the Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, Indonesia, the Coral Sea, southern Madagascar and Vanuatu. It grows in shallow reef environments, at depths down to about . It is an uncommon species and subject to coral diseases and bleaching. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the conservation status of this species as being "vulnerable". "Seriatopora aculeata" is a colonial species and can

neg: Acropora striata activity, the crown-of-thorns starfish and disease. It occurs in the southwest Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Japan and the East China Sea; it also occurs in the Marshall Islands, the Society Islands, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, western and eastern Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, Palau, the south Mariana Islands and Pohnpei. It is found at depths of between in tropical shallow reefs on reef flats or rocky foreshores. Acropora striata Acropora striata is a species of acroporid coral found in the southwest Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Japan and the East China Sea. It can also be

neg: Great Barrier Reef Airport Great Barrier Reef Airport Great Barrier Reef Airport or Hamilton Island Airport is a privately owned public use aerodrome and is the primary airport of the Whitsunday Islands Group, and the airport of Hamilton Island. The airport is settled on mostly reclaimed land and due the island's tourism status, is occupied mostly and favoured by Australia's leading low-cost airline Jetstar Airways, as well as Virgin Australia and Qantas. Hamilton Island Airport handles direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns and is also the airport launch pad for scenic flights to the Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach. Private flights

neg: Corythoichthys amplexus Corythoichthys amplexus Corythoichthys amplexus, known commonly as the brown-banded pipefish, is a species of marine fish in the family Syngnathidae. The brown-banded pipefish is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region, from the eastern coast of Africa to the western Pacific north to the Ryukyu Islands to south the Great Barrier Reef. Records from South Africa and Madagascar require verification. It is a secretive species which occurs in coral reefs, lagoons, harbours, and open sandy-flats; as well as in rubble along edges of reefs and in small patches of reef which are surrounded by sandy flats. They

neg: Cay Cay A cay ( or ), also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans (including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef). The 1492 indigenous people of Bahamas were called "Lucayan", an Anglicization of the Spanish "Lucayos", derived in turn from the Taíno "Lukku-Cairi" (which the people used for themselves), meaning "people of the islands". The Taíno word for "island", "cairi", became "cayo" in Spanish and "cay" in English (spelled "key" in

neg: Coral Sea Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides) and by New Caledonia, and in the northeast approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands. In the northwest, it reaches to the south coast of eastern New Guinea, thereby including the Gulf of Papua. It

neg: Coral Sea Australian government announced that a protected area was planned and pending approval. Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides) and by New Caledonia, and in the northeast approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands. In the northwest, it reaches to the south

neg: Chromis viridis Sri Lanka, the Andaman Sea, Australia, and Indonesia. In the Pacific Ocean, they are found in the Gulf of Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Japan, the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Polynesia, Melanesia, and Hawaii in the Indo-Pacific part of the Pacific Ocean. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, they are found from the Gulf of California south to Peru and the Galapagos Islands. There are some reports of this species in the Mediterranean Sea. They live in coral reefs and lagoons. Individuals of this species are encountered in depths of . Adults of this species can grow

neg: Acropora palmerae and disease. It occurs in the northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea and the oceanic west Pacific Ocean; it also occurs in Palau and the Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Andaman Islands, the Great Barrier Reef, Okinawa Island, Mauritius, Micronesia, the Cook Islands and the Philippines. It is found at depths of between in tropical shallow reefs on exposed flats or in lagoons. It was described as "Acropora palmerae" by Wells in 1954. Acropora palmerae Acropora palmerae is a species of acroporid coral found in the northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific,

neg: Wilson Reef world population of brown boobies (with up to 1400 nests) and about 10,000 pairs of sooty terns. Up to 6000 pairs of common noddies have also been recorded nesting on the reef. Wilson Reef Wilson Reef is a small (4.5 ha) coral reef within the Great Barrier Reef complex of Queensland, Australia. It lies about 30 km north of Cape Melville on the Cape York Peninsula in the habitat protection zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It has some unnamed sand cays which are used by seabirds but no significant islands. It is named after Peter Wilson, a

neg: Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands Australian people to legalize gay marriage. The Coral Sea Islands Territory is an external territory of Australia which comprises a group of small and mostly uninhabited tropical islands and reefs in the Coral Sea, northeast of Queensland, Australia. The territory covers , most of which is ocean, extending east and south from the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, and includes Heralds Beacon Island, Osprey Reef, the Willis Group, and fifteen other reef/island groups. Cato Island is the highest point in the Territory and a camp site on the Island called Heaven was the claimed capital of the Gay

neg: Coral reef protection 27% of coral reefs are in MPAs globally. Only 15% of MPA sites were considered effective, with 38% partially effective and 47% ineffective. This leaves only 6% of coral reefs in effectively managed MPAs. In some situations, as in Kiribati's Phoenix Islands Protected Area, MPAs provide revenue that is potentially equal to the income they would have generated without controls. Biosphere reserve, marine park, national monument and world heritage status can protect reefs. For example, Belize's Barrier reef, Chagos archipelago, Sian Ka'an, the Galapagos islands, Great Barrier Reef, Henderson Island, Palau and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument are world heritage sites.

neg: Coral Reef Adventure Coral Reef Adventure Coral Reef Adventure is a 70mm American documentary film released in 2003 to IMAX theaters. It is narrated by actor Liam Neeson, and directed by Greg MacGillivray. Embarking on a 10-month expedition through the islands of the South Pacific, husband and wife underwater photography-duo Michele and Howard Hall explore the declining reefs and failing health of the world's oceans. From Australia's Great Barrier Reef, to a friend's coral reef-sustained village in Fiji, the diving expeditions show a range of coral reefs, from flourishing ones filled with unusual and exotic inhabitants, to vast stretches of bleached coral decline

neg: Capricorn and Bunker Group Yeppoon, Gladstone, Town of 1770 and Bundaberg. The Capricorn and Bunker groups (including Lady Elliot Island and Reef) are a distinct group of 22 reefs straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. There are 16 permanent coral cays on these reefs, including twin cays on Hoskyn and Fairfax Reefs. North West Island (105 hectares) is the largest coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The islands have high natural values, notably breeding populations of seabirds, marine turtles and coral cay vegetation. The Capricorn Group of islands consists of nine coral cays:

neg: Ophidiaster granifer its low population density. "Ophidiaster granifer" is found on coral reefs in shallow waters in the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific Ocean. It is known from the South China Sea, Japan, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, northern and western Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, New Guinea, Indonesia, the East Indies and the Philippines. It usually hides under boulders and is found on outer reef flats and patch reefs in lagoons, among broken coral rubble and among the dead bases of tangled coral thickets. Ophidiaster granifer Ophidiaster granifer, the grained seastar, is a species of starfish in the family Ophidiasteridae. It is found in

neg: Coral reefs of the Virgin Islands Preserve, Buck Island Reef National Monument), St. Thomas, and St. John (Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument). The coral reefs found offshore of St. Thomas and St. John are distributed patchily around the islands. Additionally, a developed barrier reef system surrounds St. Croix along its eastern and southern shores. The coral reefs as well as hard-bottom habitat accounts for 297.9 km. The coral reefs are home to diverse species. There are over 40 species of scleractinian corals and three species of Millepora. Live scleractinian species are found throughout the Virgin Islands, but mainly around Buck Island, St. Croix and St.

neg: Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef planet's climate changes, and thus, on how high atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration levels are allowed to rise. On 2 September 2009, a report by the Australian Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority revealed that if carbon dioxide levels reached 450 parts per million corals and reef habitats will be highly vulnerable. If carbon dioxide levels are managed at or below 380 parts per million they will be only moderately vulnerable and the reefs will remain coral-dominated. Global warming may have triggered the collapse of reef ecosystems throughout the tropics. Increased global temperatures are thought by some to bring more violent

neg: Coral reef in open water rather than next to a shoreline. Like an atoll, it is thought that these reefs are formed either as the seabed lowered or sea level rose. Formation takes considerably longer than for a fringing reef, thus barrier reefs are much rarer. The best known and largest example of a barrier reef is the Australian Great Barrier Reef. Other major examples are the Belize Barrier Reef and the New Caledonian Barrier Reef. Barrier reefs are also found on the coasts of Providencia, Mayotte, the Gambier Islands, on the southeast coast coast of Kalimantan, on parts of the coast

neg: Barber Island Barber Island Barber Island is an island south of Great Palm Island, part of the Greater Palm group in Queensland, Australia. The Aboriginal name for this island is Boodthean Island. Barber Island is one of the ten islands in the local government area of the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council. The surrounding waters are in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in the Coral Sea, which is administrated by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). The GBRMPA zoning is "Conservation Zone". In a Conservation Zone, as compared with a Buffer zone; bait netting, crabbing (trapping), and limited collecting

neg: Blue coral decreasing in line with the global destruction of coral reefs; it is threatened by aquarium harvesting, bleaching, habitat destruction, the acidification of oceans, and climate change. It is found in the eastern and western Indian Ocean, and the eastern central, western central, northwestern, and southwestern Pacific Ocean; its range includes the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. Its largest colony is believed to be located off Ishigaki Island in the Yaeyama Islands, southwestern Japan. It is found in reefs with depths below 2 m, or reefs exposed to waves, flats, intertidal regions, and sometimes in marginal habitats.

neg: Coral reef Coral reef ecosystems contain distinct zones that host different kinds of habitats. Usually, three major zones are recognized: the fore reef, reef crest, and the back reef (frequently referred to as the reef lagoon). The three zones are physically and ecologically interconnected. Reef life and oceanic processes create opportunities for exchange of seawater, sediments, nutrients and marine life. Most coral reefs exist in waters less than 50 m deep. Some inhabit tropical continental shelves where cool, nutrient-rich upwelling does not occur, such as the Great Barrier Reef. Others are found in the deep ocean surrounding islands or as atolls, such

neg: Great Barrier Reef boat trips. Several continental and coral cay islands are now resorts, including Green Island and Lady Elliot Island. As of 1996, 27 islands on the Great Barrier Reef supported resorts. In 1996, most of the tourism in the region was domestically generated and the most popular visiting times were during the Australian winter. At this time, it was estimated that tourists to the Great Barrier Reef contributed A$776 million per annum. As the largest commercial activity in the region, it was estimated in 2003 that tourism generated over A$4 billion annually, and the 2005 estimate increased to A$5.1 billion. A

neg: Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef made up of algae. It has been suggested that poor water quality due to excess nutrients encourages the spread of infectious diseases among corals. In general, the Great Barrier Reef is considered to have low incidences of coral diseases. Skeletal Eroding Band, a disease of bony corals caused by the protozoan "Halofolliculina corallasia", affects 31 species of corals from six families on the reef. The long-term monitoring program has found an increase in incidences of coral disease in the period 1999–2002, although they dispute the claim that on the Great Barrier Reef, coral diseases are caused by anthropogenic pollution. Elevated

neg: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park circle of latitude 10°41'S (running east up to the eastern edge of the Great Barrier Reef at 145º19'33"E), thereby encompassing those few uninhabited Torres Strait Islands that are east of Cape York, south of 10°41'S and north of 11°00'S. The largest of those island are Albany Island (), Turtle Head Island and Trochus Island . Further islands are Mai Island , Bush Island , Tree Islet , Brewis Island , and a few unnamed islets. As of 2016, zones within the marine park has been categorized into the following IUCN protected area categories: In 1975, the Government of Australia enacted

neg: Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands New South Wales, (about ) than to the southernmost island of the rest of the territory, Cato Island. The islands, cays and reefs of the Great Barrier Reef are not part of the territory, belonging to Queensland instead. The outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef is the boundary between Queensland and the Coral Sea Islands Territory. The initiative for the founding of a gay kingdom was taken during the Brisbane Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival in 2003. Gay activists believed that change in the marriage law, in particular the government’s plan to amend the marriage act so as to

neg: Saumarez Reefs The Saumarez Reef is located on the Coral Sea Shelf, 330 km North East of Gladstone, Queensland and are thus one of the closer coral sea islands as they are only located 85 km to the east of the Great Barrier Reef Swain Reefs and 95 km to the southwest of the Frederick Reefs. The Saumarez Reef consists of three main reefs and many smaller reefs that form a large crescent-shaped formation, measuring 39 km across, that is open to the northwest. There are two sand cays: North East Cay and South West Cay. North East Cay (21°38'S., 153°46'E.), is

neg: Acropora palmerae Acropora palmerae Acropora palmerae is a species of acroporid coral found in the northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea and the oceanic west Pacific Ocean. It is also found in Palau and the Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Andaman Islands, the Great Barrier Reef, Okinawa Island, Mauritius, Micronesia, the Cook Islands and the Philippines. It occurs in tropical shallow reefs on flats exposed the action of strong waves and in lagoons, from depths of . It was described by Wells in 1954. It occurs in encrusted colonies containing irregular branches; these colonies

neg: Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands The Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands (also known as The Gay Kingdom of the Coral Sea) was a micronation established as a symbolic political protest by a group of gay rights activists based in Australia. Declared in 2004 in response to the Australian government's refusal to recognise same-sex marriages, it was founded on Australia's external overseas Territory of the Coral Sea Islands, a group of uninhabited islets east of the Great Barrier Reef. The Kingdom was dissolved on 17 November 2017 following the decision made by the

neg: Dascyllus melanurus Dascyllus melanurus Dascyllus melanurus, known commonly as the four stripe damselfish, blacktail dascyllus, humbug damselfish, blacktail damselfish, and blacktail humbug, is a species of fish in the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the western Pacific Ocean. It is sometimes kept as an aquarium pet. The four striped damselfish is commonly found in Indo-Australian Archipelago and western Caroline Islands including Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, and the northern Great Barrier Reef of Australia. They are found at depths down to 33 feet, and it is associated with isolated coral heads in sheltered inshore habitats. Like all damselfish, they can be territorial

neg: Pseudoceros ferrugineus a thick and strong mass of cement gland on its first portion." This species is widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific, from the Indonesian Archipelagos to Central Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Palau in Micronesia, Philippines and the islands of Hawaï. It can be found in the external slope or top coral reef, at a depth of 1–15 m. These flatworms are benthic and diurnal. Because of their aposematic colors, they have no fear to crawl around to feed. "Pseudoceros ferrugineus" feeds on various colonial ascidians. Pseudoceros ferrugineus Pseudoceros ferrugineus, the Fuchsia flatworm, is a marine flatworm species that belongs to

neg: Lady Elliot Island program 'ECO Certified - Advanced Ecotourism' with Ecotourism Australia. Tourist services to the island are provided by Seair Pacific. Lady Elliot island has a tropical savanna climate (Aw). Lady Elliot Island Lady Elliot Island is the southernmost coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The island lies north-east of Bundaberg and covers an area of approximately . It is part of the Capricorn and Bunker Group of islands and is owned by the Commonwealth of Australia. The island is home to a small eco resort and an airstrip, which is serviced daily by flights from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Brisbane

neg: Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef to these conditions. However, ocean acidification is predicted to occur at a rate that evolution cannot match. Increasing temperature is also affecting the behavior and fitness of the common coral trout, a very important fish in sustaining the health of coral reefs. Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef Ocean acidification threatens the Great Barrier Reef by reducing the viability and strength of coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef, considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a biodiversity hotspot, is located in Australia. Similar to other coral reefs, it is experiencing degradation due to

neg: Islands North of Port Stewart Important Bird Area Islands North of Port Stewart Important Bird Area The Islands North of Port Stewart Important Bird Area comprises ten small islands, with a combined area of 137 ha, on the Great Barrier Reef, off the north-eastern coast of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. Most of the islands are low-lying coral cays, vegetated with grass, herbs and vines. Some of the larger islands have patches of "Pisonia grandis" or mangroves. The climate is tropical and monsoonal, with the nearby mainland supporting rainforest. The IBA lies opposite the Iron and McIlwraith Ranges Important Bird Area (IBA), which provides feeding habitat for

neg: Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef Ocean acidification threatens the Great Barrier Reef by reducing the viability and strength of coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef, considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a biodiversity hotspot, is located in Australia. Similar to other coral reefs, it is experiencing degradation due to ocean acidification. Ocean acidification results from a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is taken up by the ocean. This process can increase sea surface temperature, decrease aragonite, and lower the pH of the ocean. Calcifying organisms are under risk, due to

neg: Reef HQ of water. Reef HQ Reef HQ (typeset as ReefHQ) is the largest living coral reef aquarium. It is located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The aquarium was built as a Bicentennial Commemorative project and is a part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). The Coral Reef Exhibit has 130 coral species and 120 fish species along with hundreds of species of sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, feather stars, snails, worms and sponges. Reef HQ was originally the vision of Dr Graeme Kelleher, a former chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). Dr

neg: Reef HQ Reef HQ Reef HQ (typeset as ReefHQ) is the largest living coral reef aquarium. It is located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The aquarium was built as a Bicentennial Commemorative project and is a part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). The Coral Reef Exhibit has 130 coral species and 120 fish species along with hundreds of species of sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, feather stars, snails, worms and sponges. Reef HQ was originally the vision of Dr Graeme Kelleher, a former chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). Dr Kelleher's primary

neg: Ostorhinchus capricornis that species has white stripe through the eye rather than the neon blue stripes of "O. capricornis". "Ostorhinchus capricornis" is name after the Capricorn Group of islands in southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, where most of the specimens have been collected. It also occurs on reefs in the southern Coral Sea, at least as far south as Sydney in New South Wales and with juveniles have been recorded as far south as Montague Island. They are also found around Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea and in the tropical, south-west Pacific around the Chesterfield Islands, Coral

neg: Three Islands National Park of 10 people for up to 14 days is permitted. Three Islands National Park Three Islands and Three Islands Reef are part of the Three Islands Group National Park in Far North Queensland, Australia, in the Coral Sea, northwest of Brisbane, about north-northeast of Cooktown. The Three Islands Group National Park comprises Three Islands, Two Islands and Rocky Islets, a group of eight islands. They are all located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The islands are important and protected seabird nesting sites. Access to the Rocky Islets is prohibited, and camping is only permitted on Two Islands

neg: Wreck Island Wreck Island Wreck Island is a small coral cay. It is located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Great Barrier Reef, 93 km due north east of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, and 460 km north of the state capital Brisbane. The island is part of the Great Barrier Reef chain of islands, and is part of the Capricorn and Bunker Group of island and forms part of the Capricornia Cays National Park. It is also part of the Capricornia Cays Important Bird Area. Wreck Island is mainly formed from beach rock which is well developed along the southern beach.

neg: Three Islands National Park Three Islands National Park Three Islands and Three Islands Reef are part of the Three Islands Group National Park in Far North Queensland, Australia, in the Coral Sea, northwest of Brisbane, about north-northeast of Cooktown. The Three Islands Group National Park comprises Three Islands, Two Islands and Rocky Islets, a group of eight islands. They are all located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The islands are important and protected seabird nesting sites. Access to the Rocky Islets is prohibited, and camping is only permitted on Two Islands (a) — between 1 April and 31 August. A maximum

neg: Acropora lovelli are related to climate change; the mechanical destruction of their coral reef habitats, increasing damage from extreme weather events, rising sea water temperatures and ocean acidification. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the conservation status of this species as being "vulnerable". All corals receive protection by being listed on CITES Appendix II. Acropora lovelli Acropora lovelli is a species of acroporid coral found in the northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia and the oceanic west Pacific Ocean. It can also be found in Palau and the southern Mariana Islands, the Red Sea, Mauritius, Tuha'a Pae, the

neg: Central Indo-Pacific islands. The Central Indo-Pacific has the greatest diversity of tropical corals in the world, and includes the largest and second-largest coral formations in the world, Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the New Caledonia Barrier Reef. The Central Indo-Pacific is further subdivided into marine provinces, and the marine provinces divided into marine ecoregions: Central Indo-Pacific The Central Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean, the eastern Indian Ocean, and the connecting seas. The Central Indo-Pacific is part of the larger Indo-Pacific, which includes the tropical Indian Ocean, the western and

neg: Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef is more readily soluble than calcite. Increasing carbon dioxide levels can reduce coral growth rates from 9 to 56%. Other calcifying organisms, such as bivalves and gastropods, experience negative effects due to ocean acidification as well. As a biodiversity hotspot, the many taxa of the Great Barrier Reef are threatened by ocean acidification. Rare and endemic species are in greater danger due to ocean acidification, because they rely upon the Great Barrier Reef more extensively. Additionally, the risk of coral reefs collapsing due to acidification poses a threat to biodiversity. The stress of ocean acidification could also negatively affect biological

neg: Marine ecosystem National Geographic Society defines lagoons as a "shallow body of water protected from a larger body of water (usually the ocean) by sandbars, barrier islands, or coral reefs." There are two different types of lagoons: coastal lagoons and atoll lagoons. Coral reefs are one of the most well-known marine ecosystems within the world. The largest being that of the Great Barrier Reef. These reefs are composed of large coral colonies of a variety of species living together. The corals form multiple symbiotic relationships with the organisms around them. The deep sea contains up to 95% of the space occupied by

neg: Coenobita perlatus are difficult and expensive to set up in captivity. "C. perlatus" lives in a wide swathe of the Indo-Pacific, from Indonesia, Mauritius, Seychelles and Aldabra in the west to Samoa in the east. In Australia, the species is limited to Christmas Island, the Cocos Islands, the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea Islands Territory. In the wild, animals may live for 25–30 years, but only live for 1–4 years in captivity. "C. perlatus" keeps a supply of water in the shell it inhabits. It returns to the sea at night to refresh its water, and it performs osmoregulation by

neg: Coral reef approximately 20,000-year-old Great Barrier Reef offers an example of how coral reefs formed on continental shelves. Sea level was then lower than in the 21st century. As sea level rose, the water and the corals encroached on what had been hills of the Australian coastal plain. By 13,000 years ago, sea level had risen to lower than at present, and many hills of the coastal plains had become continental islands. As sea level rise continued, water topped most of the continental islands. The corals could then overgrow the hills, forming cays and reefs. Sea level on the Great Barrier Reef

neg: Coral Sea merges with the Tasman Sea in the south, with the Solomon Sea in the north and with the Pacific Ocean in the east. On the west, it is bounded by the mainland coast of Queensland, and in the northwest, it connects with the Arafura Sea through the Torres Strait. The sea is characterised by its warm and stable climate, with frequent rains and tropical cyclones. It contains numerous islands and reefs, as well as the world's largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. All previous oil exploration projects

neg: Coral Corals are major contributors to the physical structure of the coral reefs that develop in tropical and subtropical waters, such as the enormous Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Other corals do not rely on zooxanthellae and can live in much deeper water, with the cold-water genus "Lophelia" surviving as deep as . Some have been found on the Darwin Mounds, north-west of Cape Wrath, Scotland, and others as far north as off the coast of Washington State and the Aleutian Islands. Aristotle's pupil Theophrastus described the red coral, "korallion" in his book on stones, implying it

neg: Coral Sea were terminated at the GBR in 1975, and fishing is restricted in many areas. The reefs and islands of the Coral Sea are particularly rich in birds and aquatic life and are a popular tourist destination, both nationally and internationally. While the Great Barrier Reef with its islands and cays belong to Queensland, most reefs and islets east of it are part of the Coral Sea Islands Territory. In addition, some islands west of and belonging to New Caledonia are also part of the Coral Sea Islands in a geographical sense, such as the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Reefs. The

neg: Cay of all the debate around the future of cays, there is consensus that these island environments are very complex and somewhat fragile. Examples of cays include: Cay A cay ( or ), also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans (including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef). The 1492 indigenous people of Bahamas were called "Lucayan", an Anglicization of the Spanish "Lucayos", derived in turn from the Taíno "Lukku-Cairi" (which the

neg: Heron Island Research Station marine research, climate change research and student training in marine sciences. It is a cornerstone of the Australian Research Council (ARC)'s Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies. In 2014, Sir David Attenborough and Atlantic Productions, filmed segments of their Great Barrier Reef production at the research station. Heron Island Research Station Heron Island Research Station is a marine research station located on Heron Island, an island within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, 80 km from Gladstone, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is located at the leeward end of a coral cay on a 10 x 5

neg: Torres Strait Islands landing there in 1770. Moa in the Near Western group is culturally and linguistically speaking part of this group. This cluster is more widely distributed in the middle of Torres Strait, consisting of many small sandy cays surrounded by coral reefs, similar to those found in the nearby Great Barrier Reef. The more northerly islands in this group however, such as Gerbar (Two Brothers) and Iama (Yam Island), are high basaltic outcrops, not cays. Culturally-speaking, Nagi of the Near-Western group is also part of this group, and also has high basaltic outcropping. The low-lying inhabited coral cays, such as Poruma

neg: Environmental issues with coral reefs for their livelihoods. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system. The reef is located in the Coral Sea and a large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Particular environmental pressures include surface runoff, salinity fluctuations, climate change, cyclic crown-of-thorns outbreaks, overfishing, and spills or improper ballast discharge. According to the 2014 report of the Government of Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), climate change is the most significant environmental threat to the Great Barrier Reef. Southeast Asian coral reefs are at risk from damaging fishing practices (such

neg: St. Crispin's Reef St. Crispin's Reef St. Crispin's Reef is an elongate outer-shelf coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Named after St. Crispin, the French patron saint of cobblers and tanners, St. Crispin's Reef is located 35 miles off the Queensland coast in the Coral Sea, in latitude 16° 07' 54.14" S longitude 145° 48' 22.46" E, at a depth of 9 metres. It lies east of Undine Reef and south of Agincourt Reefs, close to Opal Reef. Protected by neighbor reefs, St. Crispin's structure consists of many shallow sandy channels that reticulate around coral mounds, rather than a typical

neg: Pink skunk clownfish Malay Archipelago and Melanesia, in the west Pacific Ocean from the Great Barrier Reef and Tonga, north to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan and in the eastern Indian Ocean from Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, through the Rowley Shoals, Scott and Ashmore Reefs, Cocos and Christmas Islands to Sumatra. It inhabits reef lagoons and outer reef slopes. "A. perideraion" has been thought to be found at depths of 3–20 m, but surveys using autonomous underwater vehicles of mesophotic reefs at Viper Reef and Hydrographers Passage in the central Great Barrier Reef observed "A. perideraion" at depths between 50 and 65 m.

neg: Acropora aculeus are narrow and shorter. The corallites are distinctive, longer than they are wide, smooth and polished. This coral is usually yellowish or grey, but can be bright bluish-green, and the tips of the branches are often yellow, pale blue, green or brown. It is usually yellow on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Philippines, but pale brown in western Australia. It is named as ACR ACUL in Coral Codes. "Acropora aculeus" is native to the Indo-Pacific region, its range extending from the east coast of Africa and Madagascar to Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and some island groups in the

neg: Cakaulevu Reef has been enforced, fish populations are rebounding and spilling over into areas where fishing is permitted. Cakaulevu Reef Cakaulevu Reef (also called the Great Sea Reef) is a coral reef located off the northern shore of the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji. It is the third longest continuous barrier reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Mesoamerican Reef off Central America. When combined with the nearby Pascoe Reef, Cakaulevu Reef is about long. On its own, the Cakaulevu Reef covers . The marine ecosystem of the reef contributes to its national significance as

neg: Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef processes, such as photosynthesis or reproduction, and allow organisms to become vulnerable to disease. Coral is a calcifying organism, putting it at high risk for decay and slow growth rates as ocean acidification increases. Aragonite, which impacts the ability of coral to take up CaCO, decreases when pH decreases. Levels of aragonite have decreased by 16% since industrialization, and could be lower in some portions of the Great Barrier Reef because the current allows northern corals to take up more aragonite than the southern corals. Aragonite is predicted to reduce by 0.1 by 2100. Since 1990, calcification rates of "Porites",

neg: Lady Elliot Island Lady Elliot Island Lady Elliot Island is the southernmost coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The island lies north-east of Bundaberg and covers an area of approximately . It is part of the Capricorn and Bunker Group of islands and is owned by the Commonwealth of Australia. The island is home to a small eco resort and an airstrip, which is serviced daily by flights from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Lady Elliot Island is located within the 'Green Zone' of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which is the highest possible classification designated by

neg: Corythoichthys amplexus for traditional medicine and for sale as curios. Corythoichthys amplexus Corythoichthys amplexus, known commonly as the brown-banded pipefish, is a species of marine fish in the family Syngnathidae. The brown-banded pipefish is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region, from the eastern coast of Africa to the western Pacific north to the Ryukyu Islands to south the Great Barrier Reef. Records from South Africa and Madagascar require verification. It is a secretive species which occurs in coral reefs, lagoons, harbours, and open sandy-flats; as well as in rubble along edges of reefs and in small patches of

neg: Solitary Islands Marine Park is allowed in the general use area of the Park and crab and lobster trapping in both the general use and habitat protected areas. The Solitary Islands region contains the southernmost extensive coral communities in coastal eastern Australia. The East Australian Current transports the coral larvae from the warm tropical waters, and with 90 reported species, there are approximately quarter of the species recorded on the Great Barrier Reef. Even though the Marine Park is a protected zone, commercial fishing and recreational activities such as fishing, crabbing, boating and scuba diving are allowed in some zones of the park. Environmental

neg: Great Barrier Reef more than half its coral cover since 1985. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over AUD$3 billion per year. In November 2014, Google launched Google Underwater Street View in 3D of the Great Barrier Reef. A March 2016 report stated that coral bleaching was more widespread than previously

neg: Epaulette shark the northern coast of Australia, as far south as Sydney. The Capricorn-Bunker Group of the Great Barrier Reef contains a particularly large population, with thousands estimated to inhabit the reefs around Heron Island alone. Additionally, there are unsubstantiated reports of this species from Malaysia, Sumatra, and the Solomon Islands. Epaulette sharks are found in shallow water to a maximum depth of 50 m (160 ft), and are often seen in water barely deep enough to cover their bodies. They prefer tidal pools, coral flats, and stands of staghorn coral. The epaulette shark has an elongated body, over half of which

neg: Cyclone Joy friends or relatives, or at nearby schools. In an attempt to mitigate damage, 150 volunteers filled 43,000 sandbags to protect properties. Nearby, residents rescued about 100 dogs from an affected kennel. Storm-related flooding damaged portions of the Great Barrier Reef through coral bleaching. Over 25 days, the Fitzroy River discharged about of water into Keppel Bay, reaching the Great Barrier Reef in early January and causing a drop in salinity levels. On Great Keppel Island, about 85% of shallow-water reefs died. Reef damage also occurred in the Whitsunday Islands. The discharge from the Fitzroy River affected various islands and coral

neg: Plectropomus laevis Plectropomus laevis Plectropomus laevis, known commonly as the black-saddled coral grouper or saddle grouper, is a species of groupers belonging to the family Serranidae. This uncommon to rare species is widespread in the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa (Kenya, Mozambique) to the central and southern Pacific, eastward to the Tuamotu Island, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Australia, Indian Ocean and islands of western and central Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. These tropical reef-associated fishes prefer outer coral reef slopes, coral-rich lagoons, channels, and seaward reefs. They are commonly found at depths of 4 to

neg: Belize Barrier Reef Belize Barrier Reef The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly offshore in the north and in the south within the country limits. The Belize Barrier Reef is a long section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is continuous from Cancún on the north-eastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula through the Riviera Maya and up to Honduras, making it the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It is Belize's top tourist destination, popular for scuba diving and snorkeling and attracting almost half

neg: Endeavour Reef Endeavour Reef Endeavour Reef is a coral reef within the Great Barrier Reef. It is within the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. The reef is about long and runs in an east-west direction. The center of the reef is located at . It is about south-east of the Hope Islands in the Hope Islands National Park and off the mainland. It was encountered by Lieutenant James Cook when HM Bark "Endeavour" ran aground there on 11 June 1770. In his journals, Cook described striking the south-eastern end of the reef at 11pm after having passed just north of Pickersgill Reef

neg: Great Barrier Reef (TV series) the plants and animals on islands and the Australian mainland which owe their existence to the presence of the reef. The first episode examines the structure of the coral reef and the wildlife which lives in it, as they compete and cooperate. The reef is also affected by numerous factors including the moon, sun, and weather. With a landmass larger than Great Britain, only 7% is coral reef. The rest is made of islands, mangrove swamps, and sand flats - all of which feature an array of animals. Even the 100 year old shipwreck of SS Yongala plays a part.

neg: Impacts of ocean acidification on the Great Barrier Reef star, has experienced a similar death rate to the coral on which it feeds. Any increase in nutrients, possibly from river run-off, can positively affect the Crown of Thorns and lead to further destruction of the coral. Coralline algae holds together some coral reefs and is present in multiple ecosystems. As ocean acidification intensifies, however, it will not respond well and could damage the viability and structural integrity of coral reefs. Ocean acidification can also indirectly affect any organism; increased stress can reduce photosynthesis and reproduction, or make organisms more vulnerable to disease. Additionally, as coral reefs decay, their symbiotic

neg: Whitsunday Islands National Park Whitsunday Islands National Park Whitsunday Islands is a national park in Queensland, Australia, northwest of Brisbane. It contains Whitsunday Island and 31 others. The Whitsunday Islands lie midway along Australia's Queensland coast and are bordered by the Great Barrier Reef and the waters of the Coral Sea. Migrating humpback whales favour the waters around the Whitsunday Islands as a calving ground between May and September each year. Marine stingers are found in the waters of the islands between October and May. The region spans from the beaches of Bowen in the north and Laguna Whitsundays in the south. All 74

neg: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park ecosystem in the world. Its reefs, almost 3000 in total, represent about 10 per cent of all the coral reef areas in the world. It supports an amazing variety of biodiversity, providing a home to thousands of coral and other invertebrate species, bony fish, sharks, rays, marine mammals, marine turtles, sea snakes, as well as algae and other marine plants. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) is responsible for the care and protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It uses a range of tools to manage the marine park including Acts and Regulations, zoning plan, plans

neg: Chesterfield Islands archipelago but commonly included. The reef complex is named after the ship "Chesterfield", commanded by Matthew Bowes Alt, which explored the Coral Sea in the 1790s. The Chesterfield Islands, sometimes referred to as the "Chesterfield Reefs" or "Chesterfield Group", are the most important of a number of uninhabited coral sand cays. Some are awash and liable to shift with the wind while others are stabilized by the growth of grass, creepers and low trees. The reefs extend from 19˚ to 22˚S between 158–160˚E in the southern Coral Sea halfway between Australia and New Caledonia. The Chesterfield Reefs are now part

neg: Staghorn coral has been one of the three most important Caribbean corals in terms of its contribution to reef growth and fishery habitat. Staghorn coral is found throughout the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, the Caribbean islands and the Great Barrier Reef. This coral occurs in the western Gulf of Mexico, but is absent from U.S. waters in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as Bermuda and the west coast of South America. The northern limit is on the east coast of Florida, near Boca Raton. In South-East Asia, it grows rapidly and abundantly in the reefs of the coasts of Sabah, Malaysia.