Effective Marine Park management requires legislation, many supporting plans and policies and practices that implement day-to-day decisions. Some that are influential in the conservation and management of marine wildlife in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are listed below.

Actions

Plans and Policies

• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan 2003 significantly increased the extent of highly protected area within the Marine Park. The entire Marine Park is protected by law, but with various zones providing differing levels of protection. One-third of the Marine Park is now included within no-take zones 
  
• A Policy for managing activities that include the direct take of a Protected Species in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has been adopted. The policy provides guidance to permit assessors and delegates when dealing with applications to take Protected Species, which includes dugongs and marine turtles
• A Turtle and Dugong Conservation Strategy for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was published in 1994 for the conservation of dugong and marine turtle populations in the Great Barrier Reef region. The strategy aims to establish procedures, reviews and actions (many voluntary), to resolve management issues across the entire Great Barrier Reef Region and many diverse interests
• Plans of Management have been finalised for Shoalwater Bay and the Cairns, Whitsundays and Hinchinbrook areas of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS)
• A National Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles in Australia (Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage) has been prepared. The plan identifies the objectives, criteria and actions for the recovery of each marine turtle species in Australia
• A compendium of information, Marine Turtles of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area,has been published as a basis for the development of policies and strategies for the conservation of marine turtles (GBRMPA)
• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority produced a compendium of information on the fauna and flora of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. This document explains the rationale behind the work priorities of the Species Conservation Programme of the GBRMPA
• The Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources has coordinated the development of a regional agreement with nations of the Indian Ocean and South East Asian region under the Convention on Migratory Species. The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South East Asia and a Conservation and Management Plan has been finalised and Australia’s commitment to the process praised. Information about the agreement can be found at http://www.ioseaturtles.org
• Many Island National Park Management Plans are now in place. Many of the provisions in the plans benefit dugongs and turtles (QPWS). For example, many nesting beaches and islands in the Great Barrier Reef are closed to commercial visitor access permanently or seasonally.