Coastcare Issues
Boating and anchoring
Did you know that…
- Irresponsible anchoring is a major contributor to reef damage.
- Boast strike is a documented cause of Dugong mortality
Boating is a great way to explore the coastal environment. However, boating and anchoring can be major environmental hazards if certain basic practices are not followed.
What can I do to help?
As the worlds largest island, boating plays a big part of our culture. Learn as much as you can about the marine environment before you take to the water. Avoid areas that could be too shallow for your motor, as the propeller destroys fragile seagrass beds and coastal reefs.
Use designated ramps when launching your boat to avoid damaging the native vegetation.
Keep garbage on the boast for disposal on land and take cans rather than bottles on board. Empty cans are easily crushed and stored.
Clean bilges and sumps out on land. These areas collect oil which may leak into the water.
Irresponsible anchoring can cause damage to reefs and seagrass meadows. Coastcare groups identify of sensitive sites construct specially designed reef protection marker buoys to indicate the edge of the reef. Where safe anchoring is unachievable due to water depth, moorings can be installed.
