Technical Information Sheet #27

Published 2002

This page contains background and history of the Representative Areas Program.

• View current Zoning information.

Special Management Areas in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

The following information outlines the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s (GBRMPA) approach to addressing management issues at specific areas as proposed in the Draft Zoning Plan for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (the Marine Park).

In previous Zoning Plans, designated areas have been used by the GBRMPA to manage issues or activities associated with specific areas within the Marine Park.   These designated areas have included:

• Defence Areas;
• Restricted Access Areas;
• Replenishment Areas;
• Seasonal Closure Areas; and
• Special Management Areas.

Due to the complex provisions associated with their designation as part of statutory Zoning Plans, and the implementation of other, more flexible management tools such as permits, site plans and plans of management, the GBRMPA has reviewed the way designated areas are used in the Draft Zoning Plan.

Proposed Management Framework

The Draft Zoning Plan provides for two over-arching categories of designated areas that can be used to address current management concerns:

• Special Management Areas  are areas where specific arrangements may manage access or use of a specific area of the Marine Park for a specified time; and
• Shipping Areas are designated areas to assist ships to navigate through the Marine Park.

The proposed Special Management Areas and Shipping Areas may be designated by the Zoning Plan, or after public consultation in accordance with the Regulations.

Special Management Areas

The purpose of a Special Management Area (SMA) is to manage access or use within a specific area of the Marine Park.   Special management provisions may apply to these areas on a temporary, seasonal or permanent basis and are as described in the GBRMP Regulations. 

SMA’s may be designated for a number of reasons including:

• Conservation of a particular species or natural resource, e.g. turtle, bird nesting sites or fish spawning aggregation sites;
• Restricting access due to public safety;
• Amenity reasons; or
• Response to an emergency, e.g. a ship grounding, oil spill or marine pest outbreak.

SMAs will provide for a more flexible approach to implementing appropriate management strategies at a site-specific level.   Transitional arrangements will provide for areas that are designated under current Zoning Plans to be declared under the new SMA provisions. 

Designation of a SMA requires the GBRMPA to undertake formal consultation with the community.   After designation, public notices will be placed in the Commonwealth Gazette,   newspapers and on the GBRMPA website to provide information on:

• The location of each SMA
• Any management arrangements that will be put in place; and
• The length of time the designation is expected to last. 

However, in an emergency situation, a SMA may be declared by public notice and without formal consultation, but may only be in place for a continuous period of up to 90 days.

Species Conservation

The Draft Zoning Plan proposes the designation of a series of SMAs (Species conservation) throughout the Marine Park specifically for dugong protection purposes (see the Information Sheet on ‘Dugong Management Areas’ for more information about these SMAs).

Restricted Access

SMAs (Restricted access) will be applied to the following locations, to reflect their status under the current Zoning Plans (ie. the area may only be used or entered with the permission of the GBRMPA):

• Raine Island (reef 11-243)
• Maclennan Cay (reef 11-070)
• Moulter Cay (reef 11-130)
• Australian Institute of Marine Science Scientific Research Zone (Cape Cleveland)
• One Tree Island Scientific Research Zone (reef 23-055)

Shipping Areas

The Draft Zoning Plan designates a series of Shipping Areas to assist ships when they are transiting through the Marine Park.   Further Shipping Areas may also be designated using the Regulations.  An Information Sheet specifically about ‘Shipping in the Marine Park’ provides more information (refer to the website below for details).