Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters)
Activity management
This summary is intended as a guide only for the Commonwealth waters of the park. For information on zoning and management arrangements in the state waters of Ningaloo Marine Park refer to the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) website for Ningaloo Marine Park.
The following table outlines activities allowed without an authorisation (
), allowed with an authorisation (A) or not allowed (
) in the Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters).
| Activity | Ningaloo (Commonwealth Waters) |
|---|---|
| General Access | |
| Commercial Activities | |
| Fishing (including collecting) | |
| Filming and photography | A |
| Tourism and charters | A |
| Commercial vessel transit | (Conditions apply - see General approvals) |
| Other commercial activities | A |
| Recreational Activities | |
| Scuba diving and snorkelling | |
| Non-commercial fishing* | (Conditions apply - see General approval) |
| Scientific Research | A |
| * Recreational fishers must hold all relevant licenses and permits required and comply with the legal lengths, catch limits, permitted gear and other requirements that apply to marine recreational fishing under the WA Fish Resources Management Act 1994 and relevant regulations, policies, plans, notices and orders made under that Act. Please contact the WA Department of Fisheries or see the WA Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 for further information. | |
How to apply
To apply for authorisation please contact the Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) Reserve Manager on (02) 6274 1111 or email mpa@environment.gov.au.
Applications to conduct activities in the reserve will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Please allow a minimum of 28 days for processing.
What is authorisation?
Authorisations allow identified activities that would otherwise be prohibited, to occur in the reserve. Authorisations are legal instruments under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 and are issued by the Director of National Parks, or his delegate. Authorisation may take the form of an approval or a permit.
Authorisation of recreational fishing and commercial vessel transit
Commercial vessel transit and recreational fishing are allowed under general approvals. Individual authorisation is not required for these activities. To ensure that the recreational fishing rules remain consistent with the management principles for the reserve, the general approval and conditions applicable to non-commercial fishing will be reviewed every 6 months.
- See General Approval - Non-commercial fishing in Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters)
- See General Approval - Commercial Vessel Transit in Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters)
What conditions are associated with authorisation?
There are conditions associated with authorisations to conduct activities within the reserve. These conditions place certain requirements on activities undertaken in the reserve. Failure to adhere to these conditions may result in variation or revocation of authorisation.
See also
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)