trigger). Asterisks denote triggers that will result in determining a media position and the release of a media statement (see also Table 3). Approximate date Trigger1 Briefings Senior management Minister Stakeholders Message 1 December Annually ^ ^ ^ Summer approaching; bleaching risk period; plan being implemented 20 December Annually ^ Temperature trends for December; plans for Christmas break High bleaching risk* ^ ^ Temperatures unusually high; coral bleaching event probable Response level 1 (see Figure 8)* ^ ^ ^ High temperatures recorded; widespread bleaching observed; and the areas most affected Response levels 2 and 3 (see Figures 9 and 10) * ^ ^ ^ Very high temperatures recorded; moderate or severe bleaching observed at regional scale or widespread; areas worst affected and mortality likely 15 February3 Annually ^ Temperature trends for half of summer; summary of any observed coral bleaching 31 March No bleaching ^ ^ ^ Summer concluding; bleaching risk period over; no significant bleaching observed Response levels 1, 2 and 3 (see Figures 8-10)* ^ ^ ^ High temperatures recorded; bleaching observed; preliminary assessment of extent and severity; detailed surveys underway (if response level 2 or 3 triggered) 30 May Moderate, major or severe impact (see Table 1) ^ ^ ^ Summary of full extent and severity of bleaching; implications for affected regions and Great Barrier Reef Importance of management actions
January Monitoring network training for southern region — Mackay, Yeppoon and Gladstone Additional participants for the monitoring network recruited Commencement of early warning system December Commence web-based updates for seasonal outlook and coral bleaching risk — current conditions reports Communication of reef stressors to community through web on a monthly basis December Planning for Christmas closure period • Assignment of duties over Christmas closure period • Senior management notified of arrangements • Minister advised if coral bleaching risk moderate–high December – Assess bleaching risk weekly • Check ReefTemp and NOAA hotspots on web • Review weekly weather summary reports • Review reports from the monitoring network and update spatial layers • Review AIMS temperature graphs • Prepare briefings for internal meetings, round table • Advise senior management of changes February Assess temperature trends and bleaching for half of summer • Senior management update on conditions • Contact made with monitoring network participants in areas of interest Event reported – incident response initiation Bleaching reported Situation analysis conducted Incident response situation analysis Bleaching reported Situation analysis reviewed Level of incident response agreed (this includes nil response) Incident response activated Appointment of incident controller Incident coordinator appointed to establish a response team Incident response active Notification of incident to relevant agencies Heightened awareness of the incident amongst relevant agencies
Incident response active Action plan developed • Action plan identifies roles and responsibilities for coral bleaching response • Action plan implemented and all sub plans including communications plan activated Incident response active Deploy operational teams • Operational teams to manage incident deployed • Incident managed effectively • Emergency fast track permits authorised High risk season passed Incident response terminated, Incident response deactivated Incident debrief convened Incident response terminated and long-term management implemented Post event Progress implementation of long-term impact management actions and adaptation • Sectoral impact management plans implemented • Management actions (e.g. emergency Special Management Areas (SMAs)) implemented Post event April Preliminary report on the incident produced Summary report of responses initiated for internal use Post event May – June Formal incident report produced Summary report of the extent and severity of the impact Post event Incident response revision and update Review incident response implementation and incorporate feedback Post event senior management, Minister and stakeholders Senior management, Minister and stakeholders aware of summer impacts and reef recovery April – October End of season updates • End of season reports posted onto the Web, including nil reports • End of season summary emailed to participants of the monitoring network Post event ongoing Impact recovery monitoring Monitoring of recovery from severe bleaching impacts Appendix B — Early warning system tools, key references and further reading Tools that form the early warning system within the risk and impact assessment plan have been developed by a number of agencies and research institutions, nearly all of which have worked in close collaboration with GBRMPA. Each of these institutions has scientists who have published publications on their work in the area of predicting bleaching. The key references and further reading providing technical details (websites) on the products are listed below, and are divided into the same sub-sections seen in the early warning system section of the plan. Seasonal outlooks of bleaching risk