About 33% of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is a no-take green zone. In these zones, extractive activities such as fishing are prohibited, helping protect habitats and replenish marine populations.
The zoning system was expanded through the Representative Areas Program, completed in 2004. Its purpose was to ensure that examples of the marine park’s different ecological regions were included in highly protected areas, rather than concentrating protection in only a few well-known locations.
“Green zone” is a management term used in the marine park, not a description of the water’s colour. The zones are mapped and enforced under Australian law. Other areas allow some activities under specific rules, so the entire marine park is not a single uniform sanctuary. The percentage is often rounded in public explanations; the key policy figure is one-third of the park.