Policies and Regulation at the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's greatest environmental assets, so they have created many regulations to keep it save and protected. Even though it is the healthiest coral reef ecosystem in the world, the condition has declined in recent years, and it still faces many threats. The legislative changes that came into effect on November 25, 2009 were enforced to strengthen the protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It is very similar to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983, but it is updated and it integrates the two with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2013C00313
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1984: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013C01014
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2013C00539
Above are links to all of the legislative regulations that the Australian government has to ensure that the coral reefs are safe and protected. They also have specific requirements to help whales and dolphins in particular. Here is a list of all of the legal requirements:
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2013C00313
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1984: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013C01014
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2013C00539
Above are links to all of the legislative regulations that the Australian government has to ensure that the coral reefs are safe and protected. They also have specific requirements to help whales and dolphins in particular. Here is a list of all of the legal requirements:
- You must not kill, take, injure and/or interfere with whales and dolphins - interference includes harassing, chasing and herding
- You must not restrict the path of whales or dolphins
- You must not touch or feed, or attempt to touch or feed, a whale or dolphin
- You must not enter the water within 100 metres of a whale or within 50 metres of a dolphin
- You must not approach closer than 30 metres to a whale or dolphin if you are in the water. If a whale or dolphin approaches you while you are in the water, move slowly, do not touch or swim towards it
- You must minimise noise when closer than 300 metres from a whale or dolphin.
- A vessel must not approach closer than 100 metres to a whale, or 50 metres to a dolphin
- Approach the whale or dolphin only from the rear or by positioning the vessel ahead of the whale or dolphin, and always in a position that is more than 30 degrees to its observed direction of travel
- If the whale or dolphin is a calf, a vessel must not enter within a radius of 300 metres of the whale and 150 metres of the dolphin (i.e. the caution zone)
- If a calf appears causing your vessel to be within the caution zone, you must stop the vessel and turn off the engines or disengage the gears or withdraw your vessel at a constant slow speed
- If your vessel is closer than 300 metres to a whale or 150 metres to a dolphin, it must be operated at a constant slow speed, if closer than 50 metres to a dolphin, the vessel must not change course or speed suddenly
- If there are three vessels within 300 metres of a whale or dolphin, all additional vessels must remain outside a 300 metres radius from the whale or dolphin
- If a whale approaches close to your vessel, take all precautions to avoid a collision, either slow down and steer away from the animal, or place the engines in neutral and let the animal pass
- Prohibited vessels (i.e. jetskis, parasails, hovercraft, hydrofoils, wing-in-ground effect craft and motorised diving aids such as underwater scooters) must not approach closer than 300 metres to a whale or dolphin
- An aircraft must not operate below 1000 feet within a horizontal radius of 300 metres of a whale or dolphin and must not approach a whale or dolphin head on
- In addition, a helicopter must not operate below 1650 feet within a horizontal radius 500 metres of a whale or dolphin
- If you accidentally strike a whale or dolphin you must report it
- When in the Whitsunday Planning Area, there are some additional rules in relation to whales:
- a vessel must not approach closer than 300 metres to a whale in the Whitsunday Whale Protection Area
- a helicopter must not approach below 2000 feet or within 1000 metres of a whale.
Information from Australian Government's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority