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Threats
 Human
activity throughout Moreton Bay Marine Park threatens thousands
of species along with the whole ecology of the area. Instead
of protecting this stunning area, we are attacking it from
all sides.
Population pressure out of control
South East Queensland is the fastest growing region in Australia.
Over 2.7 million people already live here and another 50,000
people arrive every year (11)! An out of control population
explosion means that Moreton Bay Marine Park is confronting
pressure from booming coastal development, more pollution,
more visitors, more tourism, more boat traffic, bigger boats
and much more fishing.
The World Clock is
ticking
Global Climate Change
Global warming is the most significant cause of “coral
bleaching”, when increased water temperatures cause
the living corals to “self-destruct”. At the current
rate, many of the world’s coral reefs could be dead
in 40 years. Moreton Bay’s corals are not immune from
this impact and their health has already significantly declined
in several important areas (12).
Unsustainable Fishing Practices
Prawn trawling scours the seabed, destroys dugong habitats
and kills many times more creatures than are actually harvested
(13). Prawn trawling remains one of the most destructive forms
of fishing, yet, is still permitted in Moreton Bay Marine
Park.
Threatened species find no safe haven
Moreton Bay Marine Park should be a safe haven for Queensland’s
many threatened species. Unfortunately this is not the case.
The Park’s 6 species of sea turtle are all at risk of
extinction, and rangers receive 200 reports of sick, injured
or dead turtles each year (14). The Park’s turtles are
not recovering and are continuing to decline.
 Moreton
Bay’s dugong herd used to number in the tens of thousands.
Today only 600- 800 individual dugongs now remain. In 2005,
84% of the 41 reported deaths in Queensland were human related
(15). Boat strike, pollution, marine debris and fishing gear
entanglement are the main culprits. Moreton Bay’s dugong
population is not recovering.
Al least 20% of the Park’s shorebird species are today
threatened with extinction and the health of their rousting
and feeding sites is declining (10).
Perhaps most concerning of all, is that Moreton Bay Marine
Park is one of only a few places along the East Coast of Australia
where the Critically Endangered (and harmless) Grey Nurse
Shark can still be found. There are less than 500 of these
docile sharks left and they are continuing to decline.
Homes under threat
Moreton Bay’s animals become homeless and hungry if
their habitats are lost. In the last few decades 20% of Moreton
Bay’s seagrass beds have been lost (4), 50% of its saltmarshes
have disappeared and around 200 ha of mangroves have been
cleared (16). Moreton Bay’s marine habitats remain homes
under threat.
Securing the beauty and increasing the health
of Moreton Bay Marine Park is a huge task so we need your
help. Together we can tackle
the threats and prevent further damage to the Bay and its
vulnerable residents.
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