Cyclic outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish, overfishing which disrupts food chains, and shipping routes which can result in oil spills or improper ballast discharge also damage the reef.

• 此外冠棘海星的周期性爆发，过度捕捞导致食物链破坏，以及运输航线上的的石油泄漏或不当的压载水排放都会影响大堡礁的生态环境。