27 April 2009

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), Dr Russell Reichelt, today moved to provide clarification around the agency’s management role and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Zoning Plan 2003.

 Dr Reichelt said the GBRMPA is responsible for the long-term protection, ecologically sustainable use, education and understanding of the Great Barrier Reef through the care and development of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

 “In addition to managing the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the GBRMPA provides advice to the Australian Government on the values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area,” he said.

 “While some comments by members of the community have suggested otherwise, the GBRMPA is not responsible for management of the Coral Sea.

 “The Coral Sea falls within the Australian Government's marine bioregional planning process and is a matter for the Environment Minister, Mr Peter Garrett.”

 Dr Reichelt also said recent changes to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act meant that changes to zoning can NOT be made for at least seven years from the time the Zoning Plan commenced, however this does not mean that there will be a review at that time.

 “The current Zoning Plan commenced on 1 July, 2004 and the Act states that it cannot be reviewed until at least July 2011.

 “There is no planned review of, or statutory requirement to review the zoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in 2011. This is a matter solely at the discretion of the Environment Minister at that time.”

 Dr Reichelt said the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is firmly focused on working with stakeholders and other management agencies to implement the current Zoning Plan and to address other priorities for management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

 These include:

• Effective management and monitoring of the current Zoning Plan and Plans of Management. 

• Understanding and responding to the effects of climate change

• Supporting the Australian Governments' efforts to address the decline in water quality through the Reef Rescue Plan and Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.

• Developing Traditional Use of Marine Resource Agreements with Traditional Owners to manage sea country.

Ends …

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