WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

• It's no secret that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is under pressure from activities on the land and in the Marine Park. Many marine species are now rare or threatened.
• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) is concerned about the loss of biodiversity in the Marine Park. Biodiversity is the immense variety of all plants and animals, together with the places they live and the natural processes that keep them alive.
• We must do more – NOW – to further protect the biodiversity of the Marine Park, before it is too late.
• So, we're rezoning the entire Great Barrier Reef Marine Park using an internationally-acclaimed program called the Representative Areas Program (RAP).
• RAP will be integrated with other major initiatives the GBRMPA is currently undertaking to protect the Marine Park’s biodiversity (see Frequently Asked Questions below)

WHAT IS THE REPRESENTATIVE AREAS PROGRAM (RAP)?

• RAP is a staged process that will lead to rezoning of the Marine Park.
• During the 1st stage 70 areas of marine biodiversity (we call them bioregions ) were identified. These include seagrass beds, rich sponge gardens and sandy seabed communities.
• During the 2nd stage we reviewed the existing zoning to see if all 70 bioregions were sufficiently protected. We found they weren’t.
• We have just conducted the 3rd stage, which is the first formal community participation phase where we asked you to write to us with your views about rezoning the Marine Park.
• A Draft Zoning Plan will then be produced, taking into account all public comments.
• The next stage will be the second formal community participation phase. Here we will ask for your comments on the Draft Zoning Plan.
• The final stages of RAP are Ministerial and Parliamentary approval for the new zoning plan.

  More Green Zones Means:

  Larger numbers of fish inside and outside of Green Zones Growth in quality tourism opportunities

OK, SO YOU'RE INTRODUCING RAP . . . 
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

• It means more and bigger Green Zones (no-take areas) throughout the Marine Park. Green Zones have been proven to protect biodiversity.
• This means there will be fewer areas where fishing and collecting are permitted.
• And it also means the entire Marine Park will be rezoned.

WHAT ACTIVITIES WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE NEW GREEN ZONES?

• As with current Green Zones, no fishing, collecting, trawling, or any extractive activity will be allowed.
• Public access to these areas and activities such as diving, boating and snorkelling are allowed in Green Zones. Non-extractive tourism activities will be permitted.

HOW MUCH OF THE MARINE PARK WILL BE IN GREEN ZONES?

• Currently only 4.5% of the Marine Park is in Green Zones. The exact amount of more Green Zones will not be known until the RAP process is completed. However, scientific experts have recommended a package of scientific principles. If all the principles are implemented in full, then about 25% of the Marine Park would be in Green Zones.
• Each of the 70 bioregions will have some area represented in Green Zones, but it is unlikely there will be just one Green Zone in each bioregion; there may be several smaller areas making up the total area.

NEW COASTAL AREAS OF THE MARINE PARK

• There are 28 marine areas adjacent to the Queensland coast which have recently been included in the Marine Park. These new coastal sections, which are marked on the map, will be zoned for the first time as part of the RAP. This submissions process was your opportunity to contribute to the development of zoning for the new coastal areas of the Marine Park.

WHAT ELSE?

While we are rezoning, we'll also be:

• improving consistency of zoning provisions across the Marine Park.
• simplifying zone boundaries by introducing a coordinate based system.

More Green Zones Means:

Protection of critical habitats, such as seagrass beds Better protection of biodiversity

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

• Please call the Representative Areas Team on 1800 990 177. They will be able to answer your queries about RAP.
• Technical data is also available on the web. Or it can be mailed to you on request.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How will the Representative Areas Program affect the current zoning?

The entire Marine Park is being rezoned. As part of the RAP process, new Green Zones will be created and existing Green Zones may be expanded to achieve greater protection of biodiversity.

2. Where will the new Green Zones be located?

The location of the new Green Zones will be determined after consultation with community groups and stakeholders. There is no pre-determined network of proposed Green Zones. Following the first formal Community Participation phase a number of options for new zoning plans will be developed incorporating your suggestions. After further discussions, the best option will become a Draft Zoning Plan. This will be released for the second formal Community Participation phase.

3. Has the GBRMPA liaised with anyone about RAP?

More Green Zones Means:

Sanctuaries for maintenance of potentially important chemicals and compounds, eg. anti-cancer agents Increased research opportunities

Yes, we have. For over a year the GBRMPA staff have been visiting communities along the Queensland coast, talking to community groups, stakeholders and the general public about RAP. We have mailed regular newsletters to stakeholders and community groups. Information about RAP has been on our website during this time.

4. Will everyone's concerns be given equal attention?

Yes. All users, Traditional Owners, local communities, the general public and other stakeholders are being asked to participate, and their  submissions will be considered, together with the latest scientific information and the GBRMPA ’s management objectives. The best submissions are those that provide reasons and justifications for specific comments. There will always be contentious issues. That ’s why two formal community participation phases and ongoing liaison are included in the rezoning process in order to help reach agreement on the best possible management outcomes.

5. Will existing Green Zones be retained?

The existing level of Green Zones per bioregion will not be reduced.

6. How long will the new Green Zones be in place?

These closures to fishing and collecting will be long-term. The benefits will be greater the
longer the Green Zones are in place.

7. What about parts of the Marine Park that come under State jurisdiction . . . does the Representative Areas Program cover them?

The RAP applies only to areas within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. However, Queensland has its own program of rezoning, and information is being shared between the GBRMPA and State agencies. Implementation of the RAP will be done in consultation with State Government agencies.

8. How will the GBRMPA enforce protection of the new Green Zones?

The GBRMPA, in conjunction with other Government agencies, has a high priority on enforcement and compliance in the Marine Park. As a result, we have seen an increase in successful prosecutions in recent years. New initiatives such as bigger fines, access to innovative technologies and simpler zone boundaries will also help to increase the effectiveness of the Marine Park’s compliance program.

9. What else is the GBRMPA doing to protect the reef?

More Green Zones Means:

Better protection for threatened species Increased size of fish inside green zones More fish egg production

Water Quality/Coastal Development: The GBRMPA is currently working closely with State and Local Governments on catchment issues that impact on the Great Barrier Reef, such as down stream effects of agriculture and grazing and the impacts of sediments, heavy metals and pesticides on the marine environment. It is also developing new shipping legislation to minimise environmental harm caused by ships.

Tourism &Recreation: A range of tourism management tools, including zoning plans, Plans of Management for high use areas (such as offshore Cairns and the Whitsundays) and site specific plans have been established by the GBRMPA and implemented cooperatively with the Queensland Parks &Wildlife Service. Industry best practice is encouraged and education and training programs are in place.

Protecting Threatened Species: The GBRMPA is developing specific policies and initiatives for management of threatened species, including dugong, whales, dolphins, turtles and seabirds.

Fishing Industry: The GBRMPA is working with the Queensland Government and the fishing industry to ensure fishing in the Marine Park is conducted in an ecologically sustainable manner. Over the past few years the fishing industry has adopted several positive management initiatives following negotiation with the GBRMPA and fisheries management agencies.