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Monitoring for pesticides as part of the Marine Monitoring Programme

As part of the Marine Monitoring Program, tourism operators, education institutions and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service are working with the GBRMPA to monitor the levels of pesticides in inshore Reefs of the GBR Marine Park.

Every month at more than ten inshore reef and island sites, volunteers deploy and collect passive samplers from GBR waters. These samplers are sent off to be analysed, and provide scientists and Marine Park managers with definitive data on pesticide concentrations in inshore areas of the GBR.

Along with the advantages of being a continuous, cost-effective way of testing, passive samplers can also measure very low concentrations of pesticides. This is particularly important to provide information on sources and long-term changes in the use and management of pesticides applied on the land.

One operator in the region, Ron Cusick, general manager of Frankland Islands Cruise and Dive, said that by being involved in the Programme they feel their company is helping manage the GBR for the future and that they can now directly address issues such as poor water quality.

The passive sampling component of the MMP is an excellent example of how the community and industry are working with scientists and Marine Park managers to monitor water quality in the GBR with the aim of improving it in the future.

This collaborative approach ensures that data on pesticide concentration can be collected throughout the Marine Park.

As at June 2007, there were 13 sites where volunteers deploy and collect passive samplers. This is a significant increase on the previous year. Some of the sites have now been monitored for two years with the help of tourism companies such as Fitzroy Island, Frankland Island Cruise and Dive and Voyagers Australia.

The 2006 Annual Marine Monitoring Report confirmed low concentrations of pesticides are present in inshore waters of the GBR. The passive sampling programme will play a vital role in tracking the reduction in pesticides as land-based activities change and become more sustainable.

Last reviewed 03 March 2008

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