Pursuant to Regulation 7 of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983, the following educational or research institutions are accredited:

• The University of Queensland
• The Australian Museum
• The Queensland Museum
• Central Queensland University
• The University of Sydney
• The University of Technology, Sydney
• The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
• James Cook University

The accreditation of an educational or research institution allows limited impact research (extractive and non-extractive) to be undertaken by researchers affiliated with (i.e. employed by or enrolled) the accredited institution, in accordance with the relevant institutions’ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983, the relevant institutions’ Code of Conduct and any Environmental Management Plan for the Scientific Research Zone around research stations.

 

Accreditation will remove the need for researchers to obtain a research permit from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority if they are conducting limited impact research (See Regulation 19 and 20 of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 2003 for a definition of limited impact research).

However, researchers will still be required to gain permits from other agencies where it is appropriate. For example:

• A research permit from the Department of Environment and Resource Management may be required for research in State Marine Park waters
• A permit is required from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation if researchers are collecting above the recreational bag limits.

Authorisation letter

All researchers and any other personnel (such as institution employees) undertaking limited impact research in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, with the authorisation of the institution, must at all times carry a letter of authorisation. The letter must be on the letterhead of the institution, signed by or on behalf of the institution, naming the person or persons covered by the authorisation, stating the period during which the researcher can operate pursuant to the MOU, and detailing the nature of the research being conducted by the researcher or researchers. This letter must be carried with the research personnel or held on the vessel from which the personnel are working.