Technical information sheet 2002: Introduction to representative areas program: what you should know

Abstract

increasing impacts of coastal development, agriculture, pastoralism, shipping, tourism and fishing. In some areas, the effect is of particular concern. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has a comprehensive suite of management arrangements in place. However, more needs to be done. Currently, less than 5% of the Marine Park is in Green Zones, sometimes called no-take areas. The GBRMPA considers the current level of protection of the Marine Park to be insufficient and incomplete, because the focus was limited to threatened species, high-profile habitats like coral reefs, and unspoiled areas in remote localities. Without an increase in the number and scale of Green Zones in the Marine Park, this unique Australian icon could be irreparably damaged. To take some of the pressure off, the GBRMPA is planning to further protect the Marine Park. However, we now intend to take a different and more complete approach by protecting examples of the entire range of the Marine Park’s biodiversity (that is, examples of the immense variety of all the plants and animals, the places they live and the natural processes that keep them alive). To do this, the GBRMPA is implementing the Representative Areas Program which, put simply, is a more systematic way to protect examples of all the Marine Park’s biodiversity. This means more Green Zones. Everyone is able to access Green Zones and activities such as boating, snorkelling and diving are allowed; all types of fishing, including trawling, and all collecting and extractive activities are prohibited.