'Time to act': Damage to Great Barrier Reef worse than thought, surveys find

By Adam Morton
Updated November 26 2016 - 9:13am, first published November 25 2016 - 5:48pm
Divers looking at fish and coral life on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Jason South
Divers looking at fish and coral life on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Jason South
Coral bleaching at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Climate Council
Coral bleaching at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Climate Council
A diver at Opal Reef, off Port Douglas. Photo: Jason South
A diver at Opal Reef, off Port Douglas. Photo: Jason South
Plate coral on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Jason South
Plate coral on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Jason South

The government agency responsible for the Great Barrier Reef says urgent action is needed to save the world heritage site after yet-to-be-published surveys found the record coral bleaching damage earlier this year was even worse than initially thought.