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Marine Protected Areas
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The planning and management of the Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve is subject to the provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and Regulations 2000. A management plan will be prepared under the EPBC Act to set out how the reserve is to be managed, preparation of this plan may take up to 12 months to complete, and will include two opportunities for public comment. Prior to the management plan coming into operation, interim management arrangements have been implemented.
Finders Commonwealth Marine Park is comprised of two separate zones; a multiple use zone (IUCN category VI) and a sanctuary zone (IUCN category Ia). The following table outlines activities allowed in the Finders Commonwealth Marine Reserve zones.
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 - Allowed in zone |
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 - Not allowed in zone |
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| R - Registration under an approval from the Director of National Parks is required before any commercial fishing is allowed in the zones. Conditions apply to the approval. Contact the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts for more information. | |||
| I - 'Individual approval' from the Director of National Parks is required. Each application will be assessed on a case by case basis. Contact the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts for more information. | |||
| Activity | Multiple use zone | Sanctuary zone | |
| Recreational activities | |||
| Recreational fishing* | |
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| Scuba diving & snorkeling | |
|
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| Scientific research | |||
| Research and monitoring | I | I | |
| Commercial activities | |||
| Shipping | |
|
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| Commercial tourism, including dive/snorkel tours, nature watching | I | I | |
| Charter fishing | I | |
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| Mining - Seismic survey | |
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| Mining - Transit # | |
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| Mining - All other # | I | |
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| Transiting in a commercial fishing vessel | R | R | |
| Commercial fishing (except fishing activities listed below | R | |
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| Pelagic fishing1 | R | |
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| Demersal trawl | |
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| Danish seine | |
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| Gillnetting (below 183m) | |
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| Scallop dredging | |
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Footnotes |
| 1 Pelagic fishing in this context is defined as fishing in the area from the sea surface to 500 metres below sea level. | |||
| * Recreational fishing is allowed under general approval from the Director of National Parks. Requires adherence to relevant State recreational fishing arrangements. No registration or application is required. | |||
| # Mining - as defined in s 355 of the Act - activities include oil and gas exploration and extraction, as well as geosequestration of carbon. Seismic survey and transit is allowed under general approval from the Director of National Parks. Conditions apply to the approval. Other mining activities are permitted in Multiple Use and Special Purpose Zones on a case by case assessment. Contact the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts for more information. | |||