Marine Protected Areas
Lord Howe Island, Warren Nichols, Australian Heritage Commission Collection
The Lord Howe Island Marine Park was proclaimed on 21 June 2000 and the first Management Plan for Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) came into force on 25 September 2002.
The Commonwealth marine park complements the existing State marine park and World Heritage Area and extends protection to the deeper water environment, benthic habitats and its attendant flora and fauna.
The primary objective of the Park is to protect the seamount system and its conservation values of marine biodiversity, habitats and ecological processes. Such protection ensures the long-term maintenance of the high quality marine environment important to the Island's tourism industry, as well as the traditions and lifestyle of the local community.
The Park is divided into three zones:
The two Sanctuary Zones are managed to exclude most activities except for scientific research and environmental monitoring. The primary objective is to protect a representative sample of the shelf, slope and deepwater environment.
In the habitat species management zone, the Plan provides for ecologically sustainable recreational and commercial activities that are consistent with the strategic objectives of the Park.