A range of criminal activity takes place in marine environments, including illegal fishing, unauthorised hunting of protected species, damage to coral reefs, polluting, people smuggling, drug trafficking, and the commission of personal crimes (including violence). The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is at risk from each of these activities, although environmental crimes potentially have the greatest impact.

Russell G. Smith and Katherine Anderson explore the type of criminal activity that occurs in marine environments, with a focus on the Great Barrier Reef, possible causes of that crime, and appropriate regulatory responses to it.