Strict fishing bans help regenerate Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Strict fishing bans have helped regenerate wildlife and coral on one-third of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, a new study shows, raising hopes that years of decline can be reversed.

The study, bringing together years of research by scientists on the world's biggest living organism, proves "no-take" zones set up in 2004 have had a significant benefit, its authors say.

"The results are actually quite impressive," said lead author Laurence McCook. "Having a higher proportion of protected areas is good for marine life, it's good for fish and it's good for people who rely on the reef for a living."

The study, published in the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences, shows the zones have more and bigger fish, including sharks, and less damage to coral.

"That's a very important result not only for the reef, because corals build the reef, but it's also important for the tourism and fishing industries because fish rely on coral for their habitat," Mr McCook said.

"We think it adds to the value of the reef and it's likely to be contributing to the long-term sustainability of fishing," added Mr McCook, of the Australian Research Centre's Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.