Many words are defined in legislation, zoning plans, plans of management and permits to have specific meanings when used in relation to the Marine Park. This guide will give you a broad understanding of how these words are defined, however you should always double-check the meanings in the 'Definitions' sections of the relevant documents.
Aircraft
Any machine or apparatus, except a hovercraft, that is supported by reactions of the air or buoyancy in the atmosphere.
Anchoring
The temporary attachment of a vessel or aircraft to the seabed by means of any device carried by the vessel or aircraft for that purpose.
Ancillary vessel
A small tender that is operated within 3 nautical miles of the primary vessel to support or provide services to the main operation.
Authorisation
Permission to conduct a capped or limited activity in the Marine Park normally taking the form of an endorsement on a permit.
Bareboat
Vessel more than 6 metres in length that may be hired for recreational use without a master or crew.
Certification
Formal assessment of an operation by an approved certification scheme to demonstrate that specified standards of operation have been met.
Cruise Ship
A vessel more than 70 metres in length whose primary purpose is to carry tourists.
Day
Means a period of 24 hours commencing at midnight
Education Program
Providing transport, accommodation or services for a group of six or more people (none of whom is a tourist) principally for the purpose of systematically educating those people.
Environmental Management Charge (EMC)
An operating charge associated with chargeable permissions granted by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Chargeable permissions include permissions to conduct a tourist program, tourist facilities, non-tourist vessel charters and the sale of goods or services from a vessel. All funds raised by the EMC are used by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority for research, education and Marine Park management.
Fish feeding
The deliberate attraction of fish (other than sharks) to allow them to be viewed.
Gamefishing
The taking of fish of the genus Makaira (commonly known as marlin).
Greywater
Means waste water (other than sewage) from a bathroom, kitchen, galley or laundry, or water used in cleaning.
Group Size Limit
In relation to a vessel or aircraft at a Location, means the maximum number of people, including crew, that may be carried on the vessel or aircraft into the Location.
Hire Craft
A motorised vessel that is less than 6 metres in overall length, and is available for time-sharing, hire or charter without a master or crew.
Hire Equipment
A non-motorised vessel that is less than 6 metres in overall length, and is available for time-sharing, hire or charter without a master or crew.
Island
Includes islands, islets, cays, rocks and sandbanks
Large vessel
Means any vessel with an overall length of more than 35 metres but not more than 70 metres
Letter of Authorisation
A formal letter from the GBRMPA that allows you to conduct a capped or limited tourism activity. The letter forms part of your permit and remains in force throughout the life of the permit.
Locality
A specific site that has been individually defined under the Cairns Area Plan of Management.
Location
Generally a reef, island or bay. For the Cairns Planning Area, the area within 500 metres of a reef or island site within the Planning Area (including the airspace above it normally to a height of 500 feet above ground or water).
For the Hinchinbrook Planning Area, designated places in the Planning Area that are a focus for specific management.
Long Range Roving Operation
A vessel charter operation that does not operate to a fixed schedule or location and is surveyed for overnight operation for 8 or more people.
Motorised Watersports
Any vessel being driven in an irregular manner or that is being used to tow a person on the water or in the air, or any activity involving the use of a personal watercraft (except when transiting).
Mooring
A permanently located facility that is designed solely for mooring a vessel or aircraft and includes the mooring buoy, tackle and the point of attachment to the seabed.
Navigate
Includes to moor, or anchor, in the course of navigation
No Anchoring Area
An area designated to protect a fragile reef area, usually defined by reef protection markers (white pyramid shaped buoys with blue Marine Parks labels). Anchoring is not allowed within the area except when anchoring on adjacent beach areas.
Overall Length
One hundred and ten percent of the length shown on the vessel's load-line certificate, or if this is not able to be calculated, the distance from a vertical line passing through a point that is the foremost part of the stem to a vertical line passing through a point that is the aftermost part of the stern.
PAAF (Permit Application Assessment Fee)
A fee collected to cover the cost of processing applications for Marine Parks permits by the GBRMPA and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS).
Per week
Means in any period of 7 consecutive days
Per year
Means in any period of 365 consecutive days
Permission
Official approval to carry out an activity in the Marine Park, granted under the relevant legislation. Normally granted in the form of a permit.
Permit
A legal document granted to a company or individual giving them permission to operate and carry out activities within the Marine Park.
Permittee
An individual or company to whom a permit has been granted.
Personal Watercraft
(The term is defined in the Transport Operations (Maritime Safety) Regulation 2004 (Qld)). A power driven ship that has a fully enclosed hull that does not take on water if capsized and is designed to be operated by a person standing, crouching or sitting on it.
Pilot
A licenced person who does not belong to, but has conduct of a vessel, to direct its passage. A pilot is compulsory in some areas of the Marine Park.
Planning Area
An area of the Marine Park for which a Plan of Management has been developed.
Pontoon
A non-motorised permanently moored facility, primarily for tourist or mariculture activities.
Reasonable Use
A minimum average number of days use per year (usually 50 days) for each vessel or aircraft that is endorsed to undertake capped activities.
Reef
Includes bommie fields, reef slopes, moats and ramparts.
Reef Anchorage
Defined areas set aside for anchoring so as to protect reefs and to provide anchoring places free from moorings.
Setting Area
An area defined in the Whitsundays Plan of Management to manage use through group size and vessel limits and other management arrangements.
Sensitive Location
An identified site in a Planning Area that has special or unique conservation, cultural, heritage, scientific or use values. Special management arrangement apply.
Ship
A vessel in excess of 70 metres in overall length
Shipping Area
An area designated in the Zoning Plan (being part of a zone or more than one zone) that has been designated to allow for the navigation of ships.
Significant Bird Site
An island, islet, rock, inlet or bay is an important site for birds, particularly for nesting or roosting. Special management arrangements apply.
Special Management Area
An area designated in the Zoning Plan to allow for specific management arrangements for conservation or management purposes.
Special Tourism Permission
Special tourism permissions allow you to conduct a tourism activity that has been capped or limited.
Take
Includes removing, gathering, catching, capturing, killing, destroying, dredging for, raising, carrying away, bringing ashore, interfering with and obtaining (by any other means) an animal, plant or marine product; or attempting to do any of these things.
Tourist
A person who is in the Marine Park principally for the purpose of recreation (which may include fishing or collecting).
Transiting
To travel from one point to another by the most direct reasonable route.
Vessel
Anything which is capable of carrying people or goods on or through water, including a ship, boat, raft or pontoon.
Visit
Accessing a reef or permitted location, without departure, for a period not exceeding 24 hours
Whale Watching
Includes any commercial tour operation that involves advertising whale watching, uses aircraft to locate whales or actively searches for and interacts with whales.
Zone
An area defined in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan or the Queensland Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park Zoning Plan, that has specific management provisions governing what you can and can't do in that area.
