New bleaching watch
Hopes for cooler conditions to help coral
ONE of the Far North’s most popular coral reefs is showing signs of bleaching, but cooler weather is hoped to stave off a mass bleaching event across the Great Barrier Reef.
Tour operator Reef Magic reported less than 1 per cent bleaching at Moore Reef, about 40km off Cairns, last week.
It comes as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority says that while recent cloud and rain cover has provided
Hot and humid conditions were expected to continue over the next week with tops of 33C.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Alex Majchrowski cooling to some parts of the Great Barrier Reef, the risk of a mass bleaching event had not said there would be a chance of some rainfall until later in the week, when the humidity was also expected to rise.
“Around Cairns the chance
achieving above-average of yet gone away completely. Experience Co’s Great Barrier Reef general manager, Adam Jones, said the company was working closely with GBRMPA and scientists to constantly monitor the Reef.
He urged reefgoers to still come and experience the natural attraction for themselves.
“Wonder at its diverse beauty and contribute to the protection of the Reef for future generations,” he said.
Great Barrier Reef Minister temperatures is close to 80 per cent over the next three months,” he said.
As for rainfall, the region could expect “close to average” or “slightly increased chance of
Leeanne Enoch, who was in Cairns on the weekend, said there was always “natural bleaching” that occurred on the Reef each summer.
“Of course, there is heightened sensitivity around increased temperatures, in terms of our waterways, and the impact that might have on larger amounts of bleaching outside of the normal cycle,” she said.
She said her department was helping monitor for further signs of bleaching across being drier than average” for autumn.
Warmer than average days and nights could extend to June for much of the country, according to BOM. the marine park. “There is a bigger conversation happening here around the fact that if we see this continued heating of our oceans, then this is a real threat to us,” she said.
“In Queensland, we’ve been pulling every lever we can in terms of protecting the Great Barrier Reef.”
GBRMPA chief scientist Dr David Wachenfeld said despite recent cooler weather, the risk of coral bleaching across the marine park still remained.
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“In large parts of the inner and middle parts of the Reef in the Far North, and inner parts of the central Great Barrier Reef, and the inner southern Great Barrier Reef, are the places where we’ve seen the most bleaching,” he said.
He said there was still large areas of no to minimal coral bleaching.
“That is good news at this stage of the summer,” he said.
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