Coral Sea Conservation Zone
About the Coral Sea Conservation Zone
The Coral Sea is internationally recognised for its rich biodiversity and important heritage values. In May 2009, the area of the Coral Sea under Australia's jurisdiction was declared a Conservation Zone to provide interim protection while the area is being assessed for possible inclusion in one or more Commonwealth marine reserves.
The Coral Sea Conservation Zone covers approximately 972,000km2 of Australian waters and seabed east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP), out to the edge of Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone. It is the second, and largest, marine conservation zone declared under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) Conservation Zone was established in the Southern Ocean in 2002.
The environmental significance of the Coral Sea lies in its diverse array of coral reefs, sandy cays, deep sea plains and canyons, and the extent to which the region's natural and heritage values have remained relatively undisturbed by direct human impact.
Recent international studies have highlighted that the Coral Sea is one of the last remaining areas of the world's oceans where large-scale and biologically rich ecosystems remain relatively intact.
The Coral Sea also has important heritage significance, being the location of a number of historic shipwrecks and of major naval conflicts of World War II.
By declaring a conservation zone in the Coral Sea, the Australian Government is demonstrating its commitment to protecting one of Australia's most biologically diverse and undisturbed marine environments.
Further information
- Coral Sea Conservation Zone fact sheet (PDF - 505 KB) | (RTF - 3387 KB)
- Commercial tourism operations in the Coral Sea (PDF - 494 KB) | (RTF - 2022 KB)
- Commercial fishing in the Coral Sea Conservation Zone (PDF - 504 KB) | (RTF - 3587 KB)
- Recreational fishing in the Coral Sea Conservation Zone (PDF - 480 KB) | (RTF - 1433 KB)
For more information, phone 02 6274 1111 or email coral.sea@environment.gov.au
Also in this section
Existing Commonwealth reserves under the EPBC Act
Marine protected areas
Temperate East Marine Region
- Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve
- Solitary Islands Marine Reserve (Commonwealth Waters)
- Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters)
- Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve
Coral Sea
- Coral Sea Conservation Zone
- Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve
- Lihou Reef National Nature Reserve
North-west Marine Region
- Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve
and
Cartier Island Marine Reserve - Mermaid Reef Marine National Nature Reserve
- Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters)