HOW can the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority help the Whitsundays in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Debbie?

This was one of the major talking points when GBRMPA representatives came to the region last week.

On Thursday, representatives from GBRMPA met with tourism operators, industry leaders and members of the Whitsunday community, with discussions centring around what actions needed to be taken, where they needed to occur and what the expected outcomes would be.

GBRMPA's director of tourism and stewardship, Fred Nucifora, said the organisation's chairman Dr Russell Reichelt "has basically been very open in saying that every suggestion is on the table now".

It was generally agreed that site assessments had been hampered by poor visibility caused by the category four storm.

Nonetheless Mr Nucifora said GBRMPA had been working with the team at Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service who had already been to some 88 sites.

He also said there was ongoing communication with local tourism operators, particularly those involved in the Eye on the Reef monitoring program.

David Rose from Hamilton Island's Explore group, was able to report that although "we're hearing a lot of doom and gloom, actually there's some really sparkling things coming through and every time we go out there's more visibility and we see it better".

From the data available so far, it appears the outer reefs have fared reasonably well while the fringing reefs in exposed bays on some of the Whitsunday islands bore the brunt of Debbie's wrath.

Mr Nucifora said as of last week, approval was going to be granted to QPWS to move coral rubble in the inter-tidal areas back into the water.

He said this would create some of the structure needed for coral to grow on.

Biorock was an artificial means of restoring structure that was also discussed.

Whitsunday resident Jacquie Sheils said this would at least be a "beginning".

"It provides a habitat and something for people to look at," she said.

"I know it's not easy but it has been done and if they can do it in Indonesia surely they can do it here."

Mr Nucifora said biorock was certainly "on the table for further discussion".

"The marine park authority is holding a summit on May 24 and 25 and it's one of the primary reasons we're here talking with you now because we want to be able to bring as many of these ideas to that think tank," he said.

"We've been talking a lot about coral nurseries, coral gardens, coral propagation projects, biorock, electro-mineral accretion, (which is the same thing but you just zap it a little bit), so yes, those things are on the table.

"How quickly you'd be able to get to that solution and again the outcome - what outcome will there be by taking that action (are yet to be decided)."

Mr Rose said while coral gardening wouldn't be the overall saviour of the Great Barrier Reef or even the inshore reefs of the Whitsundays, it would create a global ambassador program, with tourism opportunities attached.

Mr Nucifora agreed, saying: "the discerning traveller of today is wanting to give back to the places that they are visiting (and) it's certainly a product evolution that could happen here."

Ms Sheils said "eco-tourism" would provide a positive shift in focus.

"Instead of swimming around looking at stuff it's an activity with a purpose. We used to get people who would pay a huge amount of money to camp on Brampton Island and pull out weeds for a week, so the people are out there," she said.

But Whitsunday diver Tony Fontes cautioned on too much artificial intervention versus helping the reef to help itself.

"It's great to talk about bio-rock (and coral gardening) and I'm all for what everyone calls rehabilitation and restoration (but) we know that reefs are designed to bounce back from cyclones if you give them the right conditions and that's the question, especially in the Whitsundays with water quality and so on," he said.

"Whatever these artificial means we take, I think we need to consider the natural rehabilitation that will occur anyway with our support.

"GBRMPA has the ability right now to close areas to fishing, close areas to tourism, and anchors and create the perfect conditions for natural rehabilitation that doesn't require years of studying, practice and electrical currents running through the water."

Whitsunday Residents Against Dumping member Sandra Williams said she agreed it was "really important for GBRMPA to step in and quickly, to give us more green and pink zones".

Mr Nucifora said it was possible to implement Special Management Areas, "though you have to have some pragmatic thought about (where you put an SMA), why it's there and what uses it may limit".

"The process of the SMA takes some time and if it affects an industry there is actually a legislative requirement for consultation to take place. So it's not something you can decide on Monday to do on Tuesday," he said.

Long-time local Suzette Pelt said she thought a two-year moratorium on any changes to the Whitsunday Plan of Management would be a sensible idea.

Also discussed were 'no fin' policies for some areas, protecting herbivores and making the Crown of Thorns star fish "public enemy number one for everyone".

GBRMPA's manager of tourism and stewardship, Fiona Merida, said every piece of coral in the Whitsundays was more precious now than ever before.

"And if you think about how much the COTS consumes, if you see one, you can't afford to not address it at this point in time," she said.

"How much a COTS can consume in a night would be a couple of thousand dollars worth of coral gardening project."

Ms Merida however remained optimistic about the future of the Whitsunday reefs.

"What's really exciting for me is I believe there's nowhere on the Great Barrier Reef where you have a community like the community you guys have in the Whitsundays, willing to support each other for a common goal. I think that's what's really special about the place and what will see it recover into the future," she said.