Marine Protected Areas
The diverse habitats of Ningaloo Marine Park support rich marine fauna and offer a range of attractions to visitors. These habitats include the open ocean, the seabeds of the continental slope and shelf, the coral reef and lagoon, and the intertidal coastal environments. Activities such as recreational fishing (outside sanctuary zones), wildlife viewing, boating, diving, snorkelling and beach recreation attract visitors from all over the world.
One of Ningaloo Marine Park’s unique features is the rapid drop off in bottom depth in the Park’s north. Because there are depths of 100m within 6km of the coastline, marine mammals and migratory pelagic fish are found unusually close to the shore. Wildlife interaction tours are popular, seeking out whales, dugong, turtles, manta rays and sharks. Some of these animals are listed as endangered or vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
The annual visit by whale sharks is a major attraction for Australian and international tourists. These huge filter feeding sharks gather in Ningaloo Marine Park following the mass coral spawning around March or April each year. Visitors are able to enjoy their company until the sharks leave in June or July. To ensure the safety of swimmers, divers and the animals themselves, the WA Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) Code of Conduct applies when interacting with whale sharks. Read more about the whale shark.
Sunset at Ningaloo Marine Park, Peter Graham.
Colourful coral and fish species found in the State waters of the Park provide another spectacular attraction for visitors. The reef’s fauna changes within short distances, ranging from tropical to temperate species. While human impacts such as pollution and overfishing are degrading other reefs around the world, most of the reef in Ningaloo Marine Park is still in pristine condition because of the clear oceanic waters and low levels of land-based pollution.
Many people regard the Commonwealth Waters of the Park as one of the best areas in the world for catching small individuals of billfish species. Tuna, marlin and sailfish are popular tag and release catches amongst game fishing clubs. Recreational fishing is also permitted in the State Waters, except in sanctuary zones.
Little is known about the wide variety of sponges that dominate the deep water communities of Ningaloo Marine Park. A recent survey of the seabed has revealed many sponges and other bottom-dwelling species previously unrecorded in Australia. High numbers of species and unusual forms found in the diverse sponge garden habitats add to the region’s scientific value.