292
N.Harvey
Most of the park is roned General Use A (80%) and then Use B (15%). The next largest
section is the Marine National Park B zone (43%). So in reality, most of area in the park is
open water and most of that is zoned for General Use and open to trawling and line fishing.
Only a small percentage is reserved for preservation (0.12%) or scientific research (o.oflAl).
In addition to its marine park status, The Great Barrier Reef was given international
recognition on 26th October 1981 when it was placed on the World Heritage List. It was
considered to fulfil all the requirements of world heritage as set out in Article 2 of the
World Heritage Convention:
• An example of a major stage in the earth's evolutionary history;
• An outstanding example of geological processes, biological evolution and people's
interaction with their natural environment;
• ~ place with unique, rare and superlative natural phenomena;
• A place which provides habitats for rare and endangered species of plants and animals.
The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (Fig. 15.1) includes all of the Great Barrier Reef Region comprising the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (93%) Queensland
waters not in the park (2%) and islands (5%). The area meets all of the World Heritage
criteria and can maintain those values because it has
• all the interrelated and interdependent elements in their natural relationships,
• all of the elements necessary for the system to be self perpetuating,
• superlative natural phenomena and areas of exceptional natural beauty,
• the habitat requirements for survival of rare and threatened species,
• protected areas for migratory species.
The World Heritage area is protected by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments under legislation and management arrangements. In 1994 a twenty five year strategic plan for the area was released (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 1994). This
plan was prepared over a three year period and included user groups, interest groups, and
various agencies. A draft plan was released in 1992 for an eight week period and over fifty
separate meetings were held to discuss the plan and more than two hundred and eighty
submissions were received. Some submissions such as the conservation sector represented
eleven different organisations which had also had wide consultation in their own groups.
The plan examines shared principles, it looks at the impact of the indigenous issues,
funding, implementation and also what it terms "continuance". This term refers to difficult issues which are not yet resolved such as mining and aboriginal and Torres Strait
islander interests. The plan then divides its objectives and strategies into eight sections:
1. Conservation;
2. Resource management;
3. Education, communication, consultation and commitment;
4. Research and monitoring;
5. Integrated planning;
6. Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests;
7. Management processes;
8. Legislation.
N.Harvey
Most of the park is roned General Use A (80%) and then Use B (15%). The next largest
section is the Marine National Park B zone (43%). So in reality, most of area in the park is
open water and most of that is zoned for General Use and open to trawling and line fishing.
Only a small percentage is reserved for preservation (0.12%) or scientific research (o.oflAl).
In addition to its marine park status, The Great Barrier Reef was given international
recognition on 26th October 1981 when it was placed on the World Heritage List. It was
considered to fulfil all the requirements of world heritage as set out in Article 2 of the
World Heritage Convention:
• An example of a major stage in the earth's evolutionary history;
• An outstanding example of geological processes, biological evolution and people's
interaction with their natural environment;
• ~ place with unique, rare and superlative natural phenomena;
• A place which provides habitats for rare and endangered species of plants and animals.
The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (Fig. 15.1) includes all of the Great Barrier Reef Region comprising the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (93%) Queensland
waters not in the park (2%) and islands (5%). The area meets all of the World Heritage
criteria and can maintain those values because it has
• all the interrelated and interdependent elements in their natural relationships,
• all of the elements necessary for the system to be self perpetuating,
• superlative natural phenomena and areas of exceptional natural beauty,
• the habitat requirements for survival of rare and threatened species,
• protected areas for migratory species.
The World Heritage area is protected by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments under legislation and management arrangements. In 1994 a twenty five year strategic plan for the area was released (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 1994). This
plan was prepared over a three year period and included user groups, interest groups, and
various agencies. A draft plan was released in 1992 for an eight week period and over fifty
separate meetings were held to discuss the plan and more than two hundred and eighty
submissions were received. Some submissions such as the conservation sector represented
eleven different organisations which had also had wide consultation in their own groups.
The plan examines shared principles, it looks at the impact of the indigenous issues,
funding, implementation and also what it terms "continuance". This term refers to difficult issues which are not yet resolved such as mining and aboriginal and Torres Strait
islander interests. The plan then divides its objectives and strategies into eight sections:
1. Conservation;
2. Resource management;
3. Education, communication, consultation and commitment;
4. Research and monitoring;
5. Integrated planning;
6. Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests;
7. Management processes;
8. Legislation.