While fish feeding gives our visitors a special opportunity to observe some of the Reef's magnificent creatures up close, the activity must be carried out carefully. You must always have a permit to feed fish as part of your tourism operation and this permit will contain some very important requirements about how you go about the activity.
By following these requirements and a few simple responsible practices there is less chance of changing fish behaviour (they could become aggressive, drive out smaller fish, and even become dangerous to swimmers); creating dependency on a food source that may not always be there; or making them tame and vulnerable to fishing.
Responsible Reef Practices
- Consider using alternative activities rather than fish feeding, such as guided fish identification activities from glass-bottom boats, submersible vessels, underwater observatories, or snorkel tours.
- Do not feed fish in areas where fishing occurs.
- Use less food than the permitted amount, to minimise the risk of overfeeding.
- Keep fish feeding away from people who are in the water.
- Do not handfeed fish.
- Never feed bread, cooked seafood and processed food to fish - you must use raw fish or prawns or approved fish pellets. Look for pellets that contain the least phosphate.
Marine Parks Legal Requirements
- You must have a Marine Parks permit to feed fish as part of your tourism operation.
