Turning the Tide Newsletter – Summer 2025
GBR Coral Harvest
Did you know that our incredible Great Barrier Reef is home to Australia’s largest coral fishery?
Each year up to 190 tonnes of coral can be hacked off our Reef by hammer and chisel. These precious corals are often destined for the global aquarium trade.
Hard corals are the building blocks of our Reef. These incredible animals form diverse structures that create habitat for our Reef’s incredible biodiversity. Many different coral species are harvested, but all are highly vulnerable to coral bleaching and mortality in increasingly frequent and severe underwater heatwaves.
The Great Barrier Reef is under immense pressure from climate change, a wild harvest coral fishery is not compatible with conserving one of our greatest treasures.