Policies

Our policies work in the policy framework of the Australian Government and are approved by our Board. Policy and administrative procedures provide guidance for managers and the public on practical application of the legislation.

Tourism

• Cruise Shipping Policy for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 126KB]
  
• Managing Tourism Permissions to Operate in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (including Allocation, Latency & Tenure) [PDF 420KB]
  
• Policy on Moorings in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 421 KB]
• Policy on Managing Bareboat Operations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 394 KB]
  
• Operational Policy on Whale and Dolphin Conservation in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 453KB]

Scientific research

• Policy on Managing Scientific Research in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 487KB]

Protected species

• Policy on Managing Activities That Include the Direct Take of a Protected Species From the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 1.455MB]
  

Environmental

• Dredging and Spoil Disposal Policy [PDF 154KB]
  
• Environmental Impact Management Policy [PDF 194KB]
• Sewage Discharges From Marine Outfalls To The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
  
• Structures
  

Position statements

Position statements and guidelines establish what we consider as appropriate management of particular activities in the Marine Park. They are intended to complement policies. The Chairman approves all position statements and guidelines.

• Position Statement - Management of tourist flights in the vicinity of Magnetic Island [PDF 110KB]
  
• Position Statement on Aquaculture within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 158KB]
  
• Position Statement on the Conservation of Dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 129KB]
  
• Position Statement on Indigenous Participation in Tourism and its Management [PDF 205KB]
  
• Position Statement on Managing access to the Restricted Access Special Management Areas surrounding Raine Island, Moulter Cay and MacLennan Cay (PDF 136KB]
  
• Position Statement on Management of memorials within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 113KB]
  
• Position Statement - Marine Tourism Contingency Plan for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 801KB]
  
• Position Statement on Protected Species in the East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery [PDF 323KB]
  
• Position Statement on Regional Management Issues in the East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery [PDF 217KB]
  
• Position Statement on Sharks and Rays in the East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery [PDF 333KB]
  
• Position Statement on the Translocation of Species in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [PDF 266KB]
• Position Statement on No Structures Sub-zones [PDF 315KB]
  
• Position Statement on Management of Commercial Jet Ski Operations around Magnetic Island [PDF 87KB]
  
• Guidelines on Coral Transplantation [PDF 76KB]
  
• Guidelines for the Emergency Disposal of Foreign Fishing Vessels
• Guidelines for the Management of Artificial Reefs in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
• Guidelines for Managing Visitation to Seabird Breeding Islands [PDF 360KB]
  

Guidelines

The GBRMPA has guidelines on many management matters on the Great Barrier Reef, including the below guidelines that relate to tourism and recreation matters:

• Coral Transplantation [PDF 76KB] (October 2004) - For coral transplantation to be considered the original cause of the coral decline at a site must be established. The recovery of coral reefs should be, as far as practical, a natural process. If the coral decline is related to impacts from the applicant or other manageable changes, then those matters need to be managed before coral transplantation is considered.
• Management of Commercial Jet Ski Operations Around Magnetic Island [PDF 87KB] (September 2004) - This Information Bulletin outlines the current situation with regard to the management of commercial jet skis around Magnetic Island and our intended response to any future applications to increase this activity.
• Indigenous Participation in Tourism and its Management [PDF 205KB] (September 2005) - This position statement provides a joint vision for enhancing Indigenous participation in tourism and its management. It identifies GBRMPA’s role in a partnership that includes Indigenous groups, Tourism Queensland, the Department of Environment and Resource Management, other government agencies and tourism operators.
• Permits Information Bulletin - No Structure Sub-zones [PDF 286KB] (March 2006) - No Structure Sub-zones were first introduced into the Marine Park in 1992 through the former Cairns Section Zoning Plan, to ensure that some areas of the Marine Park remained free from installations such as pontoons and other structures. In 2003, the Cairns Section Zoning Plan was replaced by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan. To help keep the new Zoning Plan simple, it was decided that the No Structure Sub-zones would be implemented through other mechanisms. If required, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will consider listing each of the No Structure Sub-zones as Special Management Areas under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983.