World’s Largest Coral Reef System Gets Better Protection

A $160 million plan has been announced that will phase out all commercial gillnet fishing from the Great Barrier Reef by mid-2027.

“If all goes to plan, by June 2027 we’ll have a net-free reef where dugongs, turtles, dolphins, and other threatened species can swim without the threat of becoming entangled and drowning in a gill net, and that’s a cause for global celebration,” says World Wildlife Fund Chief Executive, Dermot O’Gorman.

The plan not only provides safer habitats for myriad species but also encourages more sustainable fishing practices. The multi-million dollar plan comes after a United Nations mission concluded that the world’s largest coral reef system should be placed on a list of world heritage sites in danger.