Australian environmental groups are launching a A$1 million investigations into ways to balance tourism and the environment at Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia. The three-year study will look at options for future development that will provide the tourism industry to increase but protect the unique wildlife and delicate ecosystems. Visitors flock to Ningaloo to swim with an infamous whale sharks

the largest fish in the sea – during their yearly migration; but it is feared that some prospective tourism infrastructures could jeopardize future migrations. Some trip operators, particularly in Asia, allow snorkels to crowd out the sharks, which can lead to distress and alter the shark's behaviors.

Once complete, the declaration will create a set of rules for the region’s future tourism plans. Scientists have also recently used a robot to take pictures of the coral and sponges on the ocean floor, and will use the data to build up a picture of how healthy the reef is. Researchers are also worried that climate change could affect the reef, and therefore all the marine life dependent on it.