Better farming practices have seen a record rate of improvement in the amount of nutrient run-off flowing from farms to the Great Barrier Reef, according to a new report.
Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley said the Reef Water Quality Report Card 2019, from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, showed a reduction in dissolved inorganic nitrogen discharging from all Great Barrier Reef catchments, a cumulative reduction of 25.5 per cent since 2013.
“The report shows that where strong programs are in place, that we can and are making a difference,” Ms Ley said.
“We have invested in further programs since the period covered in the report and are committed to further reef water quality improvements,” she said.
“The fact that the overall marine condition remains poor underlines the importance of those investments.”
Ms Ley said farmers in Queensland’s Wet Tropics and Burdekin regions were the main contributors to water quality improvements in 2018-2019.
Queensland Minister for the Great Barrier Reef, Meaghan Scanlon said the overall reduction in dissolved inorganic nitrogen, the Reef’s highest risk marine pollutant, was 4.3 per cent in 2018-2019.
“We must continue this trajectory,” Ms Scanlon said.
“It has been pleasing to hear of increased compliance with 2019 reef protection laws which introduced chemical, erosion and other practice standards,” she said.
Ms Scanlon said the Report Card drew upon the best available science and monitoring programs to track progress towards water quality improvement targets and that the new and updated information would to drive improvement.
The interactive Reef Water Quality Report Card can be viewed on the Queensland Government’s website at this PS News link.
