The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says farmers are responsible for the deterioration of the Great Barrier Reef and its survival depends on the regulation of their practices.

The Queensland Government has angered land holders by allocating $50 million to help enforce new mandatory regulations aimed at reducing agricultural run-off onto the reef. The WWF's Nick Heath says upsetting farmers is a small price to pay for saving the reef.

"Over 90 per cent of the pollution that gets to the reef is from farming," he said. "It's not industry, it's not coastal development, it's not urbane, it's farming. "Fifty-six per cent of the nutrients come from cattle grazing and 40 per cent from cropping. "It's very important that we act on this issue quickly."

(ABC, 21/11/2008)