Governments remains silent as Ningaloo Reef suffers widespread coral bleaching

February 19, 2025

Environment / Government / Tourism /

The Australian Marine Conservation Society has advised that new footage from Western Australia’s iconic Ningaloo Reef shows the reef to be suffering from widespread coral bleaching.

Ningaloo’s world-renowned tourism industry relies on a healthy marine environment, and climate change poses an existential threat to them.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is demanding the strongest response from government with its WA Director Paul Gamblin noting “this is heartbreaking for all of us who love Ningaloo. To see beautiful coral reefs bleaching white at Ningaloo icons, including Turquoise Bay, Coral Bay and Bundegi, is just devastating.

“Bleaching at Ningaloo is not normal. It demands urgent action from government, not business as usual. Large areas of coral could die in the weeks ahead. This is a red-alert moment for Ningaloo.

“This marine heatwave is like an underwater bushfire raging along Western Australia’s coast killing tens of thousands of fish that washed up on Pilbara beaches and now it’s cooking Ningaloo, the jewel in the crown.

“We called for the WA government to address this destructive marine heatwave weeks ago after the fish kill, and there has been silence at the ministerial level. Surely now that there is such widespread bleaching at Ningaloo, someone in government will step up.

“We know that many people in Exmouth are distressed by what they are witnessing, and they need and deserve a clear response from government. It’s also a stark reminder that coastal communities and their businesses, including the fishing industry and Ningaloo’s world-renowned tourism industry, rely on a healthy marine environment, and climate change poses an existential threat to them.

“In addition to Ningaloo, we also need to urgently know the status of bleaching at WA’s spectacular offshore coral reefs, including Scott Reef and the Rowley Shoals.

“It’s time we listened to our scientists who have been warning for decades that climate change would threaten Ningaloo as it already has the Great Barrier Reef and many other coral reefs around the world. WA’s spectacular coast, so core to our identity and economy, is clearly not immune to the destructive impacts of climate change.

“Governments should be reducing pressure on our stressed marine environment, not piling it on. They should not even be contemplating industrial development at special places such as Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo, and oil and gas drilling at Scott Reef.”

Image. Turquoise Bay coral bleaching. Credit: Sara Morgillo/ AMCS

22nd January 2025 - University of Sydney study reveals catastrophic bleaching of Great Barrier Reef coral

12th April 2024 - New video footage reveals worst coral bleaching ever seen for Greater Barrier Reef

25th March 2022 - Severe coral bleaching revealed on Great Barrier Reef as UNESCO/IUCN considers whether to recommend ‘in danger’ listing

18th March 2022 - Great Barrier Reef suffers another bleaching event ahead of United Nations assessment visit

7th April 2020 - Reef tourism industry and conservationists demand climate action following release of new bleaching survey

5th March 2020 - Great Barrier Reef tourism operators highlight the distressing impacts of coral bleaching

8th June 2018 - Coral bleaching leads to fall in domestic tourism to Great Barrier Reef

25th March 2017 - Report suggests Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching could deter one million visitors

14th October 2015 - Tourism industry alarm at global coral reef bleaching

1st May 2024 - Protect Ningaloo billboards installed in Germany urge multinational to stop their saltworks

20th November 2023 - RAC unveils plans for major redevelopment of Ningaloo Reef Resort

30th March 2023 - Proposed South Coast Marine Park anticipated to rival Ningaloo and Great Barrier Reef

9th March 2023 - Ningaloo becomes first World Heritage site to finalise a climate resilience action plan

25th October 2022 - Ningaloo coastal reserves to be jointly managed

25th June 2021 - Protect Ningaloo calls for Exmouth Gulf to be heritage-listed

21st June 2021 - Western Australians encouraged to support Ningaloo Coast Humpback whale swim tour operators

10th January 2021 - Study reveals Ningaloo Coast’s significant boost to Western Australian economy

27th August 2020 - Ningaloo World Heritage area wins reprieve from new oil and gas exploration

13th August 2020 - New conservation campaign launched to protect Ningaloo

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