jaybee
05-09-2003, 06:34 PM
By MALCOLM WEATHERUP 04sep03
TOURISM is good, not bad, for the Great Barrier Reef -- and that's official.
A Reef Co-operative Research Centre review of tourism activities on the Reef concludes that tourist operators play a central role in safeguarding it, acting as "reef watchdogs".
Professor Russell Reichelt, the centre's CEO, said the review's findings were contrary to the public impression that tourism damaged the environment.
He sees the review's findings as a win-win situation.
"Marine tourism plays a key role in maintaining the health of the reef," he said in a statement released yesterday.
"At the same time, the industry generates $1.5 billion in annual income, plus extensive overseas investment."
He said tourism operators acted as reef watchdogs and were often the first to spot something that may be going wrong, like coral bleaching.
Their information could get scientists on the spot quickly.
He noted that the industry had introduced codes of practice to reduce damage to the reef, to ensure wildlife was not disturbed and that tourists were not endangered.
"The Great Barrier Reef has about 1.6 million visitors each year, but the 'footprint' of marine tourism is small," he said.
"The reef has more than 2900 individual reefs and 940 islands, so the human pressure is thinly spread."
The reef's manager, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, agrees with the review's assessment.
A spokesman said tourism was an educator, and gave people a sense of ownership of the reef.
He said tourists caused minimal reef damage, and only in a small and controlled area.
TOURISM is good, not bad, for the Great Barrier Reef -- and that's official.
A Reef Co-operative Research Centre review of tourism activities on the Reef concludes that tourist operators play a central role in safeguarding it, acting as "reef watchdogs".
Professor Russell Reichelt, the centre's CEO, said the review's findings were contrary to the public impression that tourism damaged the environment.
He sees the review's findings as a win-win situation.
"Marine tourism plays a key role in maintaining the health of the reef," he said in a statement released yesterday.
"At the same time, the industry generates $1.5 billion in annual income, plus extensive overseas investment."
He said tourism operators acted as reef watchdogs and were often the first to spot something that may be going wrong, like coral bleaching.
Their information could get scientists on the spot quickly.
He noted that the industry had introduced codes of practice to reduce damage to the reef, to ensure wildlife was not disturbed and that tourists were not endangered.
"The Great Barrier Reef has about 1.6 million visitors each year, but the 'footprint' of marine tourism is small," he said.
"The reef has more than 2900 individual reefs and 940 islands, so the human pressure is thinly spread."
The reef's manager, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, agrees with the review's assessment.
A spokesman said tourism was an educator, and gave people a sense of ownership of the reef.
He said tourists caused minimal reef damage, and only in a small and controlled area.