❓ A parliamentary question addresses coral bleaching at Ningaloo Marine Park due to rising sea temperatures, seeking data on bleaching extent, modelling efforts, and future predictions. The response provides some data on bleaching severity but lacks specific modelling data from DBCA.
AnsweredQoN 29Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Ningaloo—Coral bleaching
29. Hon Dr Brad Pettitt to the Minister for the Environment :
In
February, world heritage listed Ningaloo Marine Park suffered severe coral
bleaching after sea temperatures rose to two to three degrees Celsius above the
long-term average in the Gascoyne.
In
March, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)
confirmed they have been carrying out marine heatwave monitoring.
(1) What percentage of Ningaloo
coral has been identified by DBCA as—
(a) having been bleached; and
(b) dead ?
(2) What modelling has DBCA
conducted in the past two years in relation to coral bleaching at Ningaloo?
(3) What does DBCA's long-term
modelling of coral bleaching at Ningaloo predict if global temperatures rise
above 1.5 degrees?
(4) How much greater does DBCA
anticipate sea temperatures at Ningaloo to rise compared to global averages?
29. Hon Dr Brad Pettitt to the Minister for the Environment :
In
February, world heritage listed Ningaloo Marine Park suffered severe coral
bleaching after sea temperatures rose to two to three degrees Celsius above the
long-term average in the Gascoyne.
In
March, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)
confirmed they have been carrying out marine heatwave monitoring.
(1) What percentage of Ningaloo
coral has been identified by DBCA as—
(a) having been bleached; and
(b) dead ?
(2) What modelling has DBCA
conducted in the past two years in relation to coral bleaching at Ningaloo?
(3) What does DBCA's long-term
modelling of coral bleaching at Ningaloo predict if global temperatures rise
above 1.5 degrees?
(4) How much greater does DBCA
anticipate sea temperatures at Ningaloo to rise compared to global averages?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of
the question. I answer on behalf of the minister.
(1)
(a) While bleaching severity is patchy, observations indicate
that the most severe impacts are currently within the lagoon, to the north of
Point Cloates and within the Exmouth Gulf. While minimal
bleaching was observed at some locations, others had up to 60% to 80% of corals bleached or showing signs of heat stress.
(b) Corals can persist in a
bleached but live state for many months and have the ability to recover if
appropriate conditions occur. The coral mortality caused by the current event
will not be known until the second half of 2025 at the earliest.
(2)–(3) DBCA has not
conducted independent modelling of bleaching risk at Ningaloo. Modelling
undertaken by other agencies indicates that by 2041, Ningaloo is predicted to
experience significant bleaching twice every decade and annually by 2049, under
current conditions.
(4) Information on regional
seawater temperature predictions is not available at a detailed enough scale to
predict how much sea temperatures might rise in relation to global averages.
the question. I answer on behalf of the minister.
(1)
(a) While bleaching severity is patchy, observations indicate
that the most severe impacts are currently within the lagoon, to the north of
Point Cloates and within the Exmouth Gulf. While minimal
bleaching was observed at some locations, others had up to 60% to 80% of corals bleached or showing signs of heat stress.
(b) Corals can persist in a
bleached but live state for many months and have the ability to recover if
appropriate conditions occur. The coral mortality caused by the current event
will not be known until the second half of 2025 at the earliest.
(2)–(3) DBCA has not
conducted independent modelling of bleaching risk at Ningaloo. Modelling
undertaken by other agencies indicates that by 2041, Ningaloo is predicted to
experience significant bleaching twice every decade and annually by 2049, under
current conditions.
(4) Information on regional
seawater temperature predictions is not available at a detailed enough scale to
predict how much sea temperatures might rise in relation to global averages.
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