Jungarra Ngarrian · Cook Island Aquatic Reserve
Sea Turtle Code of Conduct
Australia’s first sea turtle code of conduct, written here at Cook Island and signed by every tour operator on the reserve.
Why it matters
Swimming with turtles is a privilege. The code exists to keep it that way.
Cook Island is one of Australia’s best places to meet a turtle in the water. The reserve is home to threatened green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles, and as visitor numbers grew, so did reports from community members, dive operators and tourists of encounters that were putting turtles under stress.
Nobody had written the rules down. There was no national standard and no shared resource for the people who needed it most: the operators, dive shops and in-water enthusiasts turning up at Cook Island every day.
How it came about
A community wrote the rules, and the regulators backed them
Green Heroes set out to fix the gap. Working alongside the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Fisheries and the National Parks & Wildlife Service, the code was developed over the course of a year, so that it met the regulatory standards needed to protect turtles at both a community and a government level.
In August 2024, all ten tour operators who run snorkelling and scuba trips to Cook Island signed it. That is every operator on the reserve.
“The Code of Conduct is designed to help tour operators and visitors experience the reserve sustainably, outlining the rules for the aquatic reserve and best practice advice.”
Lesley Diver · Senior Manager Marine Planning, DPIRD FisheriesResearch collated by World Animal Protection suggests most people who seek out an animal encounter do so because they already care, and that a positive close encounter makes someone more likely to change their habits and support conservation afterwards. Non-captive encounters have the strongest effect of all. Getting these encounters right matters well beyond the turtle in front of you.
“To safeguard this incredible biodiversity hotspot, we need the support of the local community.”
Kristie Morgan · Kirra Dive on the TweedWatch
The short film
Free to watch and share. Made for anyone heading into the water at Cook Island.
In the water
The rules for the sanctuary zone
These apply to everyone in the reserve, whether you arrive with an operator or on your own boat. Learn them before you go.
Admire marine life with your eyes only. Avoid touching anything, alive or dead, including shells.
Keep a respectful distance. Observe without pursuing, herding, blocking their path or disturbing them.
Use the moorings provided. Anchoring damages corals, rocky reefs and seagrass.
Keep vessel speed under 4 knots, and avoid motoring between Cook Island and the moorings.
Enjoy Cook Island from a distance. Do not land on the island or stand on the surrounding reef.
Do not stand, walk or rest on rocks, coral or marine life, or grip them for support while taking photographs.
Watch where you put your fins, and secure loose gear such as cameras, gauges and torches.
Do not feed marine animals. It changes their natural behaviour.
Minimise flash and bright lights, especially at night, to reduce stress on wildlife.
Choose reef-safe sunscreen, and cut down how much you need by wearing protective clothing.
Sanctuary zone rules and best-practice advice published by NSW DPIRD Fisheries. Private boat users are asked to learn them before boating, snorkelling or diving in the reserve.
Free resource
Swimming with Turtles
Our A3 poster distils the code into a simple visual guide. It is free to download, print and share, and it is built for dive shops, boat ramps, schools and community noticeboards.
Designed as part of a pilot for Australian waters, by people who want turtles kept wild and healthy.
Download the poster View the NSW DPIRD page