Australia's Great Barrier Reef, already in news for ecological damage from coral bleaching, has upped security requirements for visiting tourists. Wearing of life jackets has been made mandatory for those attempting reef snorkeling.
The decision was taken after a meeting of Queensland Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace with snorkeling organizations in Cairns where they decided to improve the industry's code of practice.
Tourist Casualties
The review of rules and regulations came up after recurring deaths of tourists with as many as 10 tourists losing life in recent times.
"Visual identification, things such as flotation devices, medical declarations and identifying at-risk clients as well as mandating automated external defibrillators," Grace said.
The minister said causes of deaths, such as heart-attack and jellyfish sting, go unreported.
Under the new directive, coroners have to report the cause of death to the family within 24 hours. Also, government departments and the public have to be apprised within 36 to 48 hours.
The minister said the spate of deaths on the reef has not sullied Australia's reputation as having the best diving and snorkeling regulations in the world.
Commenting on the new changes, Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators spokesman Col McKenzie said adding more rescue helicopters in Cairns is a priority, as multiple rescues are happening in the vast region.
He noted the huge revenue generated by the tourism industry and the catchment of the Great Barrier Reef has been an average $800 million a year.
Reef Growth Collapsing
Meanwhile, warming seawaters triggered by El Nino of 2016 is threatening tropical coral reefs and adversely affecting many reef species and reefs backed communities.
This was highlighted by the University of Exeter in a study that showed a surge in surface ocean temperatures triggered by El Niño has been driving major coral die-offs in the Indian Ocean's Maldives.
Some reefs species like parrotfish are eroding the reefs at a higher pace. From the University of Exeter, Professor Chris Perry and Kyle Morgan of the Geography Department studied the impact of the 2016 El Niño event at southern Maldives and found out instances of heavy coral bleaching.
Coral Bleaching Widens
Meanwhile, more coral bleaching is on the anvil for the Great Barrier Reef with areas facing the brunt of last year's event at the risk of death.
Images by the Australian Marine Conservation Society showed evidence of more freshly bleached corals near Palm Island. In 2016, the bleaching that lasted eight to nine months has been the worst-ever for the Great Barrier Reef.
During this worst phase, nearly 85 percent of coral between Cape York and Lizard Island died with 22 percent of corals in the entire reef going dead.
Meanwhile, most parts of the Great Barrier Reef have been put on a red alert for coral bleaching by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the coming months.
Data from satellite thermal maps showed highly warm waters persisting at eastern Australia triggered by heat wave from rising land temperatures that crossed 47 degrees Celsius in many regions of the country.
This was endorsed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority as well, which said sea temperatures stretching from Cape Tribulation to Townsville were up by 2 degrees Celsius than normal.
The NOAA Coral Reef alerts for the four weeks have placed more focus on northern and central reef areas as regions with a higher likelihood of mortality.
According to Imogen Zethoven, campaign director for the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the projections for the next four weeks on coral bleaching is "extremely concerning."
Commenting on the NOAA caution that severe bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef is due by 2043 if preventive actions are not taken, Zethoven doubted such a broad longevity for the reef.
"The reef will be gone before annual severe bleaching," she said.
