From the GBRMPA web site : Impact of shipping...I have yet to find a comprehensive report on the impact of shipping. While there are those claiming temp changes and agricultural run-offs are the biggest contributors to GBR degradation...it seems that there is no thorough research on the impacts of shipping...if anyone out there can show us a study, it would be much appreciated....here is what the GBRMPA have to say... Impacts Shipping can damage the Great Barrier Reef through: Collisions Groundings Introduction of invasive marine pests Oil and chemical spills Introduction of anti-fouling paints Waste disposal Anchor damage. Almost all ships travel safely along the designated shipping routes of the Great Barrier Reef with little if any impact. Shipping activity has the potential to introduce non-native species into the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. Introduced species have been found along the Great Barrier Reef coast, in both port areas and nearby harbors. No introduced species have been found in marine areas outside the ports. The impacts of dredging and construction of port facilities – such as seabed disturbance, transport or re-suspension of contaminants, alteration of sediment movement and changes in coastal processes – can be significant but are localized. Despite careful environmental impact management, further development of ports within the Great Barrier Reef, such as an increase in construction of new shipping berths and shipping channels or an increase in maintenance dredging, are likely to have local impacts on the marine environment. PDF REPORT HERE : gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/28811/Ports-and-Shipping-Info-Sheet-4-Shipping-May-2013-update.pdf
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:25:13 +0000
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