Great Barrier Reef catchment water quality action plan: a report to Ministerial Council on targets for pollutant loads

Abstract

In response to the directive of the 8 June 2001 Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Council, a scientific working group was established to review the available data on pollutant runoff and existing national water quality guidelines, to prioritise catchments according to the ecological risk present to the Reef, and to recommend the minimum targets for pollutant loads that would halt the decline in water quality entering the Reef. This is the first phase in a staged approach which aims to stop the decline of water quality and eventually allowing for the recovery of inshore reefal ecosystems.