Coral Reef Photography Competition: What do Australia’s coral reefs mean to you?

In celebration of Australian Biodiversity Month in September, Reef Check Australia and Project AWARE Asia Pacific are pleased to announce the inaugural “What do Australia’s coral reefs mean to you?” photography competition. The goal of the competition is to showcase the Australian public’s ‘vision’ of the value of our coral reefs and the threats that they currently face. These “values” include social activities and recreational pastimes such as diving, snorkeling, sailing and fishing, traditional cultural activities for many indigenous Australians and commercial ventures such as tourism and gathering seafood.

The Australian coastline is home to some of the most pristine coral reef environments that can still be found on the planet. Australia’s coral reefs have global ecological, social and economic value. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) World Heritage Area is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem that extends for more than 2000 kilometers along Queensland’s coastline. The GBR is home to 100’s of coral species, 1000’s of fish species, 6 out of 7 species of marine turtle and is a migration route for several whale species. Likewise the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia is an amazingly diverse environment for corals and marine animals including manta rays and the world’s largest fish species the iconic Whaleshark.

“Data collected over the past ten years by Reef Check shows that threats such as over fishing, poor water quality and coral bleaching caused by climate change have contributed to the loss of about 5% of coral reefs per year worldwide over the past decade. Whilst Australia’s coral reefs are amongst the best managed in the world they are not immune to these threats” said Roger Beeden, Reef Check Australia’s Marketing and Communications Manager.

“One of the major problems facing coral reefs is the lack of public awareness about their incredible ecological, economic and social value. With sea temperatures expected to rise the impact on Australia’s reefs could be devastating. Reef Check and Project AWARE hope the Coral Reef Photography Competition will inspire all Australians to protect and respect this fragile ecosystem. ” said Joanne Marston, Project AWARE’s Asia Pacific Manager.

Coral reefs, a priceless global resource

1. Tourism the world’s largest industry depends heavily on coral reefs. In Australia GBR tourism is worth an estimated $5.1 billion to our economy and employs >60,000 people. 2. Coral reefs are also a major food source for more than 500 million people worldwide. 3. Reef protect tropical coasts from storm damage and tsunami waves 4. They may even save your life or that of a loved one through the development of pharmaceuticals based on unique compounds found in coral reef organisms.

The biodiversity of Australia’s coral reefs is reflected in the diversity of ways in which we utilize and enjoy these iconic resources. By showcasing the multitude of different ways that ‘we’ value our reefs, Project AWARE and Reef Check are aiming to raise public and political awareness of the importance of responding to climate change and other global threats to coral reefs. Pictures speak a thousand words: The photography competition is the first of a series of Reef Check / Project AWARE education initiatives. The competition includes a number of submission categories that give participants and voters the opportunity to show the world how they ‘value’ our coral reefs both now and into the future. Winners will be rewarded with a range of prizes that include underwater cameras, resort accommodation, diving / snorkeling / sailing trips to the GBR and coral conservation kits.

The Reef Check Photography Competition can be viewed, votes can be cast and entries can be submitted by visiting http://www.reefcheckaustralia.org. All entrants are encouraged to view Project AWARE’s Ten Tips for Underwater Photography at http://www.projectaware.org and minimize their impact, show respect for and protect fragile environments and marine creatures.

For further press information please contact Lauren Bird or Roger Beeden at Reef Check Australia via email, media@reefcheckaustralia.org, or telephone, (07) 4724 3950. For further information on Project AWARE please contact Joanne Marston via info@projectaware.org.au or telephone (02) 9454 2890

Contributed by Joanne Marston added 2007-08-21