James Cook University
Articles
No-take marine reserves (NTMRs) are widely advocated for conserving exploited fish stocks and biodiversity. Research investigating the effects of the 2004 rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Emslie et al, 2015) showed that expanding NTMR networks had clear benefits for fishery target, but not non-target, species. A cyclone caused widespread degradation, but target species biomass was retained within NTMRs, with greater recovery potential.
It will be no surprise to anyone who has visited the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA) that both visitors and the local Queenslanders love the place. The region is famous for its wildlife, biodiversity and natural beauty. Exactly how much we love it, and what in particular we love about it, is being studied by researchers at JCU. They found safety and being able to access quality infrastructures to be the most important factors, no matter who you are, or where you come from.
It’s a classic conservation planning problem. There are hundreds of islands within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area with ecological values of national and international significance. Serious threats to those values are posed by invasive plants and animals, and there are limited people and money to manage the threats. How should the conservation dollar be spent?
The coral reef islands on the southern GBR are a great place to start a family. But after the nesting season is over many of the animals that breed on the islands, swim or fly far away. Tracking devices on turtles and seabirds that nest in the region around Heron Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are recording the journeys of the animals as they travel across the ocean.
Within a funding structure such as NERP TE, 'governance' is often described within the narrow framework of program roles and responsibilities. However there are benefits of considering the broader system of governance that such programs sit in, and in ensuring that each phase within the program cycle contributes to good governance outcomes. This broader idea of governance represents "the way society gets things done".