A guide for planners and managers - IUCN

280 MARINE AND COASTAL
PROTECTED AREAS
FIGURE III-8.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Capricornia Section zoning plan.
• Protection of sensitive habitats and species from activities that might threaten them
(e.g., trawl fishing is precluded from coral reef and seagrass communities, and species
that may be particularly vulnerable to exploitation, such as dugong and turtle, receive
appropriate protection).
• Provision for environmental impact assessment for new activities that may have
significant environmental impacts, detailed management planning for high use
and sensitive sites, and development of conservation strategies for threatened
species.
The focus of the Authority has changed over time. For the first ten or so years
the focus was on establishing the Park and management systems. Now the focus has
shifted to resolving the following critical issues: (i) water quality impacts from coastal
development and agricultural run-off, (ii) effects of fishing, (iii) management of
tourism activities, and (iv) protection of biodiversity, particularly vulnerable species.
Awaiting intensive effort is full integration into the programme of the needs of
Aboriginal people whose lifestyle and culture have evolved over thousands of years
of co-existence.