Barber Island is one of the ten islands in the local government area of the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council.

[2][3] The surrounding waters are in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in the Coral Sea, which is administrated by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).

[4] In a Conservation Zone, as compared with a Buffer zone; bait netting, crabbing (trapping), and limited collecting are permitted.

In a Conservation Zone, as compared with a Habitat Protection Zone, harvest fishing for sea cucumber, trochus, and tropical rock lobster are not allowed.

Barber (Boodthean) Reef is a nearshore fringing reef adjacent to the island.