About zoning and designated areas
Zoning is the primary tool used to manage different activities in the marine park and to separate potentially conflicting uses, while maintaining the park’s unique biodiversity.
Each of the three state marine parks has a zoning plan setting out the zones and other special management requirements in the marine park. These plans are developed and altered with input from Traditional Owners and user groups.
The Marine Park Regulation 2017 or the relevant zoning plan usually state the objectives for each zone and list the activities that are:
- unrestricted
- allowed with a permit
- prohibited.
There are four major zone types that apply to Queensland marine parks:
- General Use (light blue) – allows for a range of activities including trawling
- Habitat Protection (dark blue) – sensitive habitats with no trawling permitted
- Conservation Park (yellow) – limited fishing and crabbing
- Marine National Park (green) – high conservation value, “look but no take”
Zoning plans and maps
Read more about the three state marine parks and view maps of the marine parks:
- Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park Zoning plan | Map
- Great Sandy Marine Park Zoning plan | Map
- Moreton Bay Marine Park Zoning plan | Map
Designated areas
Designated areas overlap zones and are used to manage issues that occur at specific locations. For example, go slow areas for turtle and dugong reduce boat strike in areas where turtles and dugong feed and rest. The rules applying in designated areas are in addition to zoning rules, not instead of them.
More information on each marine parks designated area: