Rockhopper penguin chicks. Photo by K. Lawton

Because the Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) Marine Reserve is a place of such high conservation significance, there is a series of legal and administrative requirements intended to ensure that human activities do not diminish these conservation values.

The pages in this section summarise generally the requirements of the main legislation governing activities in the Reserve, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (EPBC Act and Regulations) and the Environment Protection and Management Ordinance 1987 (HIMI Territory legislation).

This section also provides brief summaries of other relevant legislation and requirements and obligations under relevant national and international agreements.