Scientists warn Great Barrier Reef "in crisis" ahead of UNESCO World Heritage meeting SCIENTISTS warn big business is ruining the Great Barrier Reef, saying more protection measures must be introduced to halt the reef's dramatic decline. More than 150 scientists have joined forces to warn of the industrialisation of the reef ahead of a UNESCO World Heritage meeting in 12 days. Led by University of Queensland's Professor Hugh Possingham, they say science is being ignored as big business develops reef waters. In a joint statement, representing many of the most distinguished names in marine and coastal sciences, they say the reef is in crisis and more development will create further harm if better protection measures are not adopted. The scientists called on the Queensland and Federal governments to immediately halt port building outside existing industrial port areas, force business to minimise their impact by sharing port facilities and improve shipping management through the reef. Professor Possingham said scientific evidence continued to document a serious decline in the reef's inshore habitats and the abundance of key species. "The science is being ignored and there has been an obvious disregard for the likely effects of large-scale dredging on coastal habitats including coral reefs and iconic wildlife such as turtles and dugongs," he said. In a declaration, scientists said such a significant decline in water quality had occurred due to land-based sources of pollution that half the reef's coral cover had been lost over the past 27 years. Plagues of crown-of-thorn starfish were occurring, also driven by land-based nutrients. Reductions in the abundance of fish stocks had been recorded to such a degree that targeted species are, at best, half their natural stock size or less. Dugong had been impacted and would be hit further by climate change. The reef has already experienced two mass coral bleaching events and climate change was forecast to increase the frequency and intensity of bleaching and possibly the intensity of cyclones and storms. Ocean acidification, from increasing greenhouse gases, was reducing the ability of some corals to grow. "As scientists, we therefore are concerned about the additional pressures that will be exerted by expansion of coastal ports and industrial development accompanied by a projected near-doubling in shipping, major coastal reclamation works, large-scale seabed dredging and dredge spoil disposal all either immediately adjacent to, or within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area," the statement says. ..."We are calling on the Queensland and Australian Governments to ensure that the outstanding universal value ... of the ... World Heritage property are protected. In June last year UNESCO'S World Heritage Committee put Australia on notice, warning it must act to save the reef from damaging development. It said short-term policy objectives of the Queensland and Federal governments showed a failure to set development limits and enforce approval conditions which were impacting on the reef. It's the latest in an ongoing saga which may see the World Heritage area listed "in danger" unless Australia accepts UNESCO recommendations on changing the reef's management. Last month UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature reported on Australia's progress in protecting the reef, saying decisive action had to be taken to avoid the reef being declared in danger. UNESCO meets in two weeks to confirm its position on Australia's action.