Having the best available information for decision making is essential to high quality, scientifically based management of the Marine Park. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has a strategic and coordinated approach to information acquisition, management, analysis, interpretation, dissemination and application.

The GBRMPA is a Registered Research Agency under the Australian Industry Research and Development Board and can conduct and manage research. However, as the GBRMPA is a management agency, the majority of research is carried out by other research institutions.

The GBRMPA uses the best available scientific information in many ways, including: 

• Measuring impacts to the Reef (including cumulative impacts)
• Identifying emerging risks to the Reef
• Defining objectives (including targets)
• Setting triggers for management intervention
• Developing policy and management strategies and assessing performance
• Providing expert advice
• Making decisions (for example permits and environmental impact assessments)
• Adaptive management
• Raising awareness (communication and education)
• State of the environment reporting (regional, state, national)
• Developing community partnerships based on shared understanding
• Preparation of the Outlook Report.

The scientific information needs of the GBRMPA require both research and monitoring. While some science needed is clearly one or the other, other science may have characteristics of both.

To facilitate the delivery of the science needed to manage the Marine Park, the GBRMPA has twice published sets of explicit scientific information needs, once in 2001 and then again in 2005. This new framework is the latest update in the series.

There are a number of other ways in which the GBRMPA can help facilitate the delivery of the science needed to manage the Marine Park including:

• Articulating problems
• Framing specific questions
• Assisting in project design
• Providing letters of support for grant applications
• Providing funding (although direct funding from the GBRMPA is limited)
• Advising on the most useful form and timing of delivery
• Helping interpret science for government and the public 
• Facilitating policy and operational outcomes from science

In order to maximise the usefulness of any given scientific project it is important that scientists and managers collaborate throughout the life cycle of the project - from initial planning right through to analysis and reporting. 

Further detail on present and planned policy, position statements and plans of management as well as current management initiatives and detailed research questions (where available) are available through web links embedded in the framework tables.

Related information

• Scientific Information Needs 2009[1.01MB]
• Translating information needs into research for management
• How these scientific information needs were determined
• Other information links
  
• Research consultancy opportunities