News from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Launch of the ‘Reef Resilience’ vessel

A new 24-metre open-ocean patrol vessel will help deliver marine park compliance, island management and protection activities across the Reef. The Reef Resilience was launched in Gladstone in May 2021 and represents an important milestone for the Reef Joint Field Management Program, co-managed by the Authority and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

The new vessel complements the Reef Ranger, which operates in the northern part of the Marine Park, but with enhanced capabilities and range. With 16 berths, three support tenders and a larger, rigid hull inflatable boat, this floating ranger base will help us deliver compliance and enforcement activities.

The Reef Resilience will also substantially increase capacity for field activities and will support park rangers, researchers, and Traditional Owners to better undertake field work aimed at improving understanding of the Reef and protect its values.

Top: Federal Minister for the Environment Hon Sussan Ley and Queensland’s Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Hon Meaghan Scanlon at the launch of the Reef Resilience in Gladstone, QLD; RIght: The Reef Resilience, a new state-of-the-art 24metre vessel. © Victor Huertas /Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service (QPWS).

#LoetheReef

New Cultural Etiquette Videos

The Reef Joint Field Management Program has recently released a second video aimed at informing visitors on cultural etiquette and working respectfully on Country.

The Kuuku Ya’u cultural etiquette video follows an inaugural video produced in combination with Cape Melville, Flinders and Howick Island Aboriginal Corporation in 2020. The work is part of our ongoing commitment to strengthen relationships with Traditional Owners in the World Heritage Area, and recognises the seeking of free, prior and informed, consent is an important part of working in and adjacent to the Reef.

This video should be viewed before visiting Piper Islands National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land - CYPAL), Wuthara (formally Forbes) Island National Park (CYPAL), Mitirinchi (formally Quoin) Island National Park (CYPAL) and Ma’alpiku (formally Restoration) Island National Park (CYPAL).

The videos provide an opportunity for Traditional Owners to share their stories, personal insights and experiences, while providing cultural guidance for working on Sea Country in an engaging and effective way. We hope the research community find this video useful and inspiring.

Above: Screenshot of the latest video released to inform visitors on cultural etiquette when visiting the Kuuku Ya’u country. © Commonwealth of Australia. Bottom: Reef life at John Brewer Reef. © Victor Huertas

Watch this Space! Science and Knowledge Needs for Management document coming soon

The Authority is currently updating its priority science needs guidance document, with its release anticipated in mid-2021. We update this every ~4 years following release of Outlook Reports, to communicate priority information gaps needed to improve management, protection and reporting. The document will also provide guidance on how to collaborate with us, and what we can bring to a partnership, if you want your research to deliver an applied management outcome for the Reef.