Shipping corridors are crucial to trade and the transportation of goods. However, they also negatively affect the ocean environment and surrounding ecosystems. This is highlighted at Point Cartwright as it is neighboured by a shipping corridor. The day-to-day use of the corridor has many impacts on the biotic and abiotic factors of the surrounding ecosystem.

The movement and anchorage of boats is a contributing factor to this impact. Propellers disturb the sea bed, increasing water turbidity and creating noise. Anchors also disturb the sea bed, creating furrows in the sand. Increasing water turbidity affects light dependent species such as coral and seagrass, the producers upon which the ecosystem relies. This changes the feeding behaviours …show more content…
Exhaust gas, rubbish, sewage, grey water and ballast water are all forms of pollution that can be discharged from a ship. Even though releasing many of these is a choice and is illegal in Queensland, ships cannot avoid releasing some forms of pollution. These pollutants can reduce air water quality, increase nitrate and phosphorus levels in the water, reduce water oxygen concentration levels and can bioaccumulate in tissue of long-living sea creatures (like loggerhead turtles). Additionally, illegally dumped waste such as rope, fishing line and net and other non-biodegradable plastics can trap marine animals or be ingested by them. Turtles are particularly vulnerable to this type of pollution. Noise and light pollution have more subtle impacts on the marine and shore ecosystems, changing the behaviour of animals rather than causing changes in factors which can be measured quantitatively. Migratory species such as dolphins and whales rely on sound to communicate and so the additional disturbances in the water can cause them to act in different ways, possibly increasing the risk of boat strikes and other dangers. Light pollution can put loggerhead turtles and their young at risk by causing the turtles to nest in potentially dangerous places. Light pollution also changes the feeding patterns of some …show more content…
Grounding is when a ship impacts on the sea floor (can be caused by an accident or collision). This can create large scars, destroying part of the sea floor ecosystem which can take decades to fully recover (gov). An oil spill would also have a devastating effect on the ocean and rocky shore environments. The oil on the surface of the sea would poison the marine fauna (especially those which breathe air like birds, turtles and whales) and so would significantly reduce biodiversity. The local fishing industry would also be affected because of the potential danger of eating toxic fish. The biodiversity of the area would take many years to be restored following an oil spill. If a ship did illegally discharge their ballast water, there is a possibility that new species could be introduced to the ecosystem. As can be seen in countless cases, invasive species can have a devastating and widespread impact on the biodiversity of ecosystems by outcompeting the native species.

To manage the risk of a ship grounding in the channel, it is dredged. However, this has significant negative impacts on the environment. Dredging increases water turbidity, which inhibits plant growth (as previously explained). This impact carries up the food chain. By stirring up the sea bed, dredging also affects the nutrients in the water and can release contaminants into the sea. The