Management

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service have developed management tools such as permits to provide for tourism opportunities and to minimise the impacts of tourism activities on the environment.

Each year about 24 000 tonnes of seafood (valued around $120 million) are harvested by the commercial sector alone. All of the commercial fisheries are managed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (QDPI&F), but some fisheries (like the dive-based fisheries) also require a permit from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). 

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) works to protect marine animal species that are threatened, iconic or at risk. By identifying the threats to the survival of these animals the GBRMPA can develop appropriate management actions.

There is a list of Protected Species for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, these species include:

• Some shells - helmet shells, triton shells, tridacnid clams
• Some fish - seahorses, pipefish, sea dragons, potato cod, Queensland grouper, barramundi cod, Maori wrasse, all groupers (Epinephelus) more than 100cm
• Some sharks - whale shark, grey nurse shark, great white shark, freshwater and green sawfish
• Sea snakes
• Crocodiles
• Marine turtles
• Birds
• Seals
• Whales and Dolphins
• Dugongs.