Tourism Operators Respond To Another Mass Bleaching of Great Barrier Reef
A mass bleaching has occurred on the Great Barrier Reef. The announcement, from renowned scientist Terry Hughes, comes after an extensive aerial survey over hundreds of individual reefs, and is the third mass coral bleaching event in five years.
The following tourism operators and scientists are available to comment on the news.
Dr Dean Miller, director, Great Barrier Reef Legacy.
Dean has just returned from Lizard Island where he documented the bleaching and experienced the impact of the marine heatwave first hand. He can talk about the health of our Great Barrier Reef, how the Reef is struggling to cope with climate change and how this bleaching event compares to the bleaching events of 2016 and 2017. Location: Port Douglas
John Rumney, CEO, Eye to Eye Marine Encounters.
John has also returned from Lizard Island and can talk about his experiences inspecting the coral and diving the Great Barrier Reef. He can talk in depth about the extent of the coal bleaching, outline how his business has been affected by coral bleaching, and the tourism concerns as a result of climate impacts. Location: Port Douglas.
Tony Fontes, diving and tourism operator.
Tony has been diving the Great Barrier Reef for 35 years. He can talk about the impact to tourism and operators, his business and community, as well as impacts of climate change and coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. Location: Whitsundays
ALSO AVAILABLE:
Dr Scott F. Heron, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
Scott’s research focuses on the vulnerability and stability of the Great Barrier Reef. He can provide an expert overview of the bleaching, as well as the impacts to the future health of the Reef. Location: Townsville
Bill Hare, Director, Climate Analytics
Bill is a Climate Scientist with thirty years’ experience in the science, impacts and policy responses to climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion. He can talk about the impacts of climate change to the Great Barrier Reef, the significance of warming ocean temperatures, the difference between bleaching and mortality of corals, and how to combat climate change and save the Reef. Location: QLD
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