It's a threat that not many people know about. Our Great Barrier Reef's corals are being chipped away, coral by coral, piece by piece.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to Australia's largest coral fishery, with up to 190 tonnes harvested annually from our Reef. Some of our rarest and most unique corals are taken and sold into the global aquarium trade.
The Great Barrier Reef is an incredible ecosystem, but it's under significant pressure from climate change. The increasing frequency and severity of mass bleaching events, as well as cyclones and floods, have led to the largest declines in coral cover on record.¹
These very same coral species affected by bleaching and mortality are being targeted by the fishery. The harvest of these healthy corals reduces our Reef's ability to recover from disturbance events and undermines Reef restoration efforts.
But a solution already exists: tank-grown coral aquaculture.
Please add your voice to urge Australian Environment Minister, Murray Watt, to support the Queensland Coral Fishery to rapidly transition to tank-grown coral aquaculture.
Wild coral reef belongs on the Reef, not in the world's aquariums.
I'm contacting you as an Australian who is deeply concerned about the ongoing harvest of coral from the Great Barrier Reef by the Queensland Coral Fishery.
The Queensland Coral Fishery is Australia's largest coral fishery and can harvest up to 190t of live coral from the Great Barrier Reef each year. The majority of these corals are then exported into the global aquarium trade.
Some of Australia's rarest and unique corals are being chipped off our national treasure, the Great Barrier Reef.
While the Great Barrier Reef is an incredible ecosystem, it is one under significant pressure from climate change. Our Reef has now experienced six mass bleaching events in the last nine years, leading to the biggest declines in coral cover on record as reported by AIMS' Long-Term Monitoring Program Report 2025.
It is these same coral species affected by bleaching and mortality that the Queensland Coral Fishery is targeting. The harvest of these healthy corals reduces our Reef's ability to recover from disturbance events and undermines Reef restoration efforts.
Fortunately, a solution already exists: tank-grown coral aquaculture. Many coral harvest operations already utilise aquaculture in their businesses. A complete transition to aquaculture will safeguard precious corals, increase the resilience of our Reef and future-proof businesses engaged in the global coral trade.
I urge you to support the coral fishery to rapidly transition from wild harvest to tank-grown aquaculture.
The future of our iconic Great Barrier Reef is in your hands.
[COMMENT]
Thank you.
