Appendix 2 Key changes since the Outlook Report 2019

Chapter 1 — About this report 
  • Introduced background section to human dimensions of the Outlook Report. This is to improve understanding of the Reef as a socio-ecological system, and how it is connected with human wellbeing. 
  • Section 176 of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 2019 is now implemented for the 2024 Outlook Report. 
  • First Nations peoples place-based stories were included in the development of the Outlook Report. 
Chapter 2 — Biodiversity
  • Regional-scale grades are presented for the condition of coral reef habitats. 
  • Non-reefal shoals are discussed in Sections 2.3.7 (Other banks and shoals) and 2.3.8 (Halimeda bioherms and meadows). Many of the submerged banks supporting coral reefs and deeper coral communities are referred to in the Region as shoals, and these were assessed as ‘Shoals’ in the 2019 Outlook Report.5 This terminology conflicts with standard international use of this term for ‘a shallow elevation composed of unconsolidated material that may constitute a hazard to surface navigation’.214,218,222
  • Halimeda bioherms and meadows component has been renamed from ‘Halimeda banks’ because i) the term ‘bioherms’ more accurately conveys the biogenic origin and unique characteristics of these structures, and ii) the new name reflects the importance of both the geomorphological structures (bioherms) and the living algal meadows as habitats for marine life.  
Chapter 4 — Heritage values
  • Additional clarity and assessment provided for scope and aspects of social heritage values.
Chapter 6 — Factors influencing the Region’s values
  • Population figures in Section 6.2.2 have changed since 2019 Outlook Report to include all Local Government Areas that are within and/or cross the Catchment boundary and have a major population centre within the Catchment boundary. This resulted in 30 LGAs being included: Banana, Bundaberg, Burdekin, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Central Highlands (Qld), Charters Towers, Cherbourg, Cook, Douglas, Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Gympie, Hinchinbrook, Hope Vale, Isaac, Livingstone, Lockhart River, Mackay, Mareeba, North Burnett, Palm Island, Rockhampton, South Burnett, Tablelands, Townsville, Whitsunday, Woorabinda, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah. Where appropriate and possible, these same Local Government Areas have been used for other human dimensions information (e.g., vessel registrations in Chapter 5).
Chapter 8 — Resilience
  • Seagrass meadows component (case study) added to ecosystem resilience and Lagoon floor (case study) component removed due to minimal new information. •
  • Heritage resilience components (case studies) changed from Lightstations, Historic shipwrecks and Cultural practices, observances, customs and lore to Social heritage, Indigenous heritage and Historic heritage.  
Chapter 9 — Risks to the Region’s values
  • Scope of some threats clarified (Appendix 6).
Appendix 3 — Complementary assessments
  • New components added — Chapter 8 case studies 
  • 5. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2019, Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2019, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville.
  • 214. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission 2019, Standardization of undersea feature names–Guidelines, proposal form terminology. Edition 4.2.0, International Hydrographic Bureau, Monaco.
  • 218. Harris, P., Heap, A., Passlow, V., Sbaffi, L., Fellows, M., et al. 2003, Geomorphic features of the continental margin of Australia, Geoscience Australia, Canberra: 142.
  • 222. Normandeau Associates, I. 2014, Understanding the Habitat Value and Function of Shoal/Ridge/Trough Complexes to Fish and Fisheries on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf. Draft Literature Synthesis for the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Contract # M12PS00031.