Endorsements & Authorisations
Some Marine Parks permits allow you to conduct a tourism activity that has been capped or limited and therefore is not generally available. The special activity will often be shown on your permit as an endorsement or may be included with the permit as a letter of authorisation.
What are the endorsements for?
Most endorsements or letters of authorisation relate to the Cairns, Hinchinbrook or Whitsunday Planning Areas and allow operators to continue to do something that was permitted before Plans of Management came into effect, but which is no longer generally permitted under the provisions of the Plans.
Examples of activities covered by endorsements or letters of authorisations include:
- Access to a Sensitive Location without a booking in the Cairns Area;
- More than 50 days access per year to a Cairns Area Location;
- Daily access for day fishing charters to the following zones within Locations in the Cairns Planning Area: General Use (light blue), Habitat Protection (dark blue) and Conservation Park (yellow) except for yellow zones included in Public Appreciation Special Management Areas;
- Access to a setting 5 area in the Whitsunday Area;
- Larger group size than provided for in the setting in all Planning Areas.
What is special about an endorsement?
Permits that include endorsements or letters of authorisation are 'special tourism permissions' and allow activities that are not generally available. If you hold one of these permits there are important management arrangements you need to know.
Where are the endorsements listed
Endorsements are usually specifically listed on your permit under their own heading.
What is a letter of authorisation?
Authorisations are a formal letter from GBRMPA and function in a similar way to endorsements.
Although a separate document, authorisations form a part of your permit. Authorisations remain in force while the permit to which they are attached remains in force.
If you hold a letter of authorisation, it will appear as an endorsement on any future permits.
