A spate of fines have been handed out to boaties who failed to heed warnings to slow down and protect Queensland's vulnerable marine life which is still suffering the fallout of the state's summer of disasters.

Environment Minister Vicky Darling said five boaties were caught ignoring Go Slow zones in the Great Sandy Marine Park off Hervey Bay at the weekend and issued with $500 fines as the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers cracked down to protect vulnerable turtles and dugong.

Ms Darling said the summer floods had had a devastating effect on coastal seagrass beds - the main food source for the animals - leaving them in a weakened condition and more vulnerable to boat strike.

"Rangers will not hesitate to target those people on the water who are ignoring go slow areas and the fines handed out on the weekend should stand as a warning," she said.

"With extra boating traffic during the school holidays, Marine Park rangers have stepped up their patrols of the designated ‘go slow' areas in the Great Sandy Strait.

"The go slow regulations are there for a simple reason - going too fast can cause death or serious injury to our marine wildlife.

"We obviously want to ensure our marine life remains healthy and protected which is why marine park rangers will be patrolling the ‘go slow zones throughout the school holidays and beyond.

"Since we introduced the ‘go slow' zones in the Great Sandy and Moreton Bay marine parks we have seen far fewer injuries to our marine wildlife caused by boats.

"Unfortunately this year we are seeing an increased number of dugong and turtle Strandings the length of our coastline.

"The impact does not appear to have been as severe in the Great Sandy Marine Park as in other areas, and certainly nowhere near as severe as the impact that the floods in the Hervey Bay area had in 1992.

"But I still urge everyone to take care, to slow down and to watch out for marine animals."

The ‘go slow' areas are clearly marked on the Great Sandy Marine Park zoning mapwhich is readily available from a wide range of sources including the DERM websitewww.derm.qld.gov.au

Ms Darling said an investigation into the death of a dugong, which washed up onto a beach at Hervey Bay on the weekend, indicated it had died from a ruptured bowel.

Reports of sick, injured or dead marine animals can be made by phoning 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 685).