Residents of the Whitsunday region with an interest in the Great Barrier Reef are invited to nominate for the Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee (LMAC).

The Whitsunday LMAC is one of 12 regional committees from Bundaberg to Cape York that provide advice to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).

GBRMPA Chairman Russell Reichelt said the committees played a vital role in reef management.

"The Reef faces plenty of challenges into the future, and they are challenges that we can't deal with alone," he said.

"We need help from our communities, and the LMACs provide that connection.

"The LMACs provide advice to us when we develop management proposals, and give us an opportunity to hear about local issues first hand from committee members.

"We want to hear a diversity of views, and for that reason we encourage a wide range of members with strong community networks."

Recreational, charter and commercial fishing representatives are sought, as well as farmers, tourism operators, Traditional Owners, conservationists and other stakeholders with an interest in the Reef.

The current Whitsunday LMAC Chair Tony Fontes said the current committee membership reflected the Whitsunday community and the committee looked forward to attracting a greater diversity of membership in the new term.

"We meet five times a year, and the meetings are a great opportunity to learn from different stakeholders and raise issues with reef managers," he said.

"We share a surprising amount of common ground, which probably comes back to the fact that everyone wants to see the Reef in good shape.

"The committee also gets involved in additional projects throughout the three-year term."

The LMAC has supported beach clean-up events and held community forums.

"I strongly encourage community members interested in the reef and coastal catchments to consider joining the LMAC."

The LMAC committees have a three year term during which they meet five times a year.

Further details and nomination forms are available on the GBRMPA website www.gbrmpa.gov.au, by emailing lmac@gbrmpa.gov.au or by phoning the Mackay regional office on (07) 4951 3434. Nominations close on Monday 21 May.