LITTER SCORES IN THE 2021 REPORT CARD
Plastics and other marine debris are a major environmental concern and impact the value of our waterways and marine environment to different people (e.g. the tourism industry, recreational fishers etc.). Debris contributes to climate change, and can pose a navigational hazards, spread chemical contaminants, transport invasive species, and smother, entangle and harm marine wildlife.
Plastic comprises between 50 and 90% of all debris items found on beaches in the Great Barrier Reef (GBRMPA, 2017) – consistent with worldwide figures.
Litter was included as a indicator for the first time in the 2020 Report Card, thanks to our partner the Tangaroa Blue Foundation. Data are sourced from the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database as collected by volunteers from across Australia. The total number of litter pieces collected at clean-up events (including ReefClean events) is compared to a baseline period before Queensland Government state-wide management strategies were put in place. We can therefore, track how litter scores may change in the years following these restrictions coming into effect.
As this metric is based on a dataset collected by volunteers there is some inconsistency with sample sizes and sampling locations across zones and years. Scores and grades are therefore, presented at the site level, rather than rolled up into a zone-level score as done for the coral, seagrass and water quality indices.
Figure 1. Litter indicator grades for the 2021 Report Card across the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac Region.
2021 Report Card Fast Facts
- 53 sites were assessed across inshore and urban zones in the MWI Region (Figure 1).
- Clean-ups were one of two types, 1) standardised ‘ReefClean’ sampling or 2) non-standardised clean-ups (see the Methods Technical Report for more information).
- Litter score cut-off points are based on annual data distribution, and refer to a scale of ‘very high pressure’ to ‘slight pressure’.
- Both inshore (coastal and island) and urban sites were cleaned in 2020-21. It is important to remember the potential differences in litter source and the frequency of clean-ups. Urban areas, for example, are much more likely to be cleaned regularly by the council and community.
Key Results
- Georges Point, a rural beach on Cape Gloucester, was the poorest scoring site in the MWI region. The site remained ‘high pressure’ and declined from 28 to 23 since 2019–20. Litter accumulation here is potentially due to transport by wind and waves from more densely populated areas.
- Both Saba Bay on Hook Island (Whitsunday Zone) and Half Tide Beach at Hay Point (Central Zone) shifted from ‘high pressure’ to ‘moderate pressure’ since 2019–20, with scores of 49 and 43 respectively.
- 75% of sites surveyed in 2020–21 scored either ‘low’ or ‘slight’ pressure.
- Fewer sites scored ‘high pressure’ than in the previous year, however it is important to note that some urban sites that scored ‘high pressure’ in previous reporting cycles have not been assessed this year.
- All sites in the Southern Zone scored as ‘slight pressure’.
Marine Debris on a beach (© Copyright CSIRO Australia)
ReefBlitz Cleanup event Shute Harbour 2018
The Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database
The AMDI is a network of communities, schools, industries, government agencies and individuals focused on reducing the amount of marine debris washing into our oceans. The initiative includes a database, which enables volunteers and organisations who run marine debris clean-up events to collect data on what they were finding using a consistent methodology. This then means that the data can be collated into a standardised national database on marine debris.
Since the program started in 2004, more than 18 million pieces marine debris have been removed from the Australian coastline and data on this debris collated and inputted into the AMDI database. This creates a comprehensive overview of the amount and types of marine debris that are impacting beaches around the country.
Regional clean-up effort (prior to 2020)
Due to the inclusion of our exciting new indicator for litter in the 2020 Report Card, we will no longer be presenting regional breakdowns of clean-up effort. These data are still available from the AMDI website.
Check out the past regional clean-up effort breakdowns below, representing a summary of the clean-ups from a number of organisations across the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac Region. Data is presented per Local Government Area (Mackay, Whitsunday or Isaac) postcode.
Where is our debris originating from- Land or Sea?
Whole region 2018-2019
Coastal beaches in populated areas
Coastal beaches away from populated areas
Islands
Whole region 2017-2018
Coastal beaches in populated areas
Coastal beaches away from populated areas
Islands
Whole region 2016-2017
Coastal beaches in populated areas
Coastal beaches away from populated areas
Islands
Whole region 2015-2016
Coastal beaches in populated areas
Coastal beaches away from populated areas
Islands
What is the debris in the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region made up of?
2018-2019
Isaac LGA *1 clean up site
Mackay LGA
Whitsunday LGA
2017-2018
Isaac LGA *1 clean up site
Mackay LGA
Whitsunday LGA
What is the data showing?
In comparison to 2016/17, there was a substantial increase in marine debris clean-up effort in the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region in the 2017/18 reporting year. The 2018/19 reporting year saw another sizeable increase in marine debris clean-up efforts in comparison to past years. Following the implementation of an initiative called ReefBlitz during the 2017/18 reporting year (designed to increase clean-up effort in the region), the 2018/19 year saw another strong year for marine debris clean-ups in the region. As in previous years, the breakdown of data per Local Government Area (LGA) shows there is a stronger regional clean-up effort in the Whitsunday region, with a higher number of volunteer effort (hours plus number of volunteers) and consequently many more beaches cleaned and weight removed.
Across all LGA’s (Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaac), plastic makes up the majority of material collected during clean-ups.
Based on 2018/2019 reporting year data, marine debris were more likely to be sourced from the sea in both Mackay and the Whitsundays.
2018/19 Clean-up Organisations
- Cleanwater Group
- Conservation Volunteers Australia
- Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
- Mackay North State High School
- Reef Catchments
- Reef Check Australia
- ReefGuardian Schools Bowen
- ReefClean
- Sarina Catchment Landcare
- SUEZ
- Tangaroa Blue Foundation
- The Port Douglas Beach House
- We-Refill
- Wild Mob
- Wild Mob Youth Ambassadors
Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership acknowledges the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, the community organisations and individuals involved in the collection and the provision of data used in this report.
