Douglas community representatives joined others from Cape York to Bundaberg last weekend to discuss the future management of the Great Barrier Reef.  

The two-day workshop is an annual meeting of representatives from 12 Local Marine Advisory Committees and senior staff from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Douglas Local Marine Advisory Committee Chair Robert Hanan said there was a strong focus on hearing local perspectives and seeking input into a strategic assessment.

GBRMPA will identify the values of, and risks to, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area while the Queensland Government is assessing the adjacent coastal zone.  

“It’s an extremely complex process,” Mr Hanan said.  “We received technical briefings and discussed issues such as the proposed port expansions with people from other regions.

“It was good to be able to talk about our local issues and discuss why the Reef is important to the Douglas region.  I also gave them feedback on the local pressures the reef is facing, like the threat of Crown of Thorns starfish outbreaks.”

GBRMPA Chair Russell Reichelt thanked the community representatives, who include tour operators, Traditional Owners, farmers, conservationists and fishers, for giving up their time to provide valuable feedback and advice on Reef management.

“They brought a wide range of views and experiences to the workshop and it was great to get their input," he said.

“We hope to bring everyone back together early next year for a final round of briefings and comments prior to release of the draft strategic assessment reports for public comment.”

Homepage image by Rob Parry.