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6. Marine conservation and marine protected areas - continued

Marine conservation and marine protected areas around Australia by state and territory

Queensland

Queensland has a long coastline and very diverse tropical and subtropical marine ecosystems. The major marine bioregions are the Gulf of Carpentaria, Torres Strait, Great Barrier Reef and south-east bays and exposed coastlines.(69),(76)

Queensland has a well developed system of State MPAs as well as the Commonwealth's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (1). Seven MPAs have been declared under the Marine Parks Act 1982, with a total of 39,024 sq km: Cairns (2), Townsville/Whitsunday (3), Mackay/Capricorn (4), Hervey Bay (5), Woongarra, Pumicestone Passage (6) and Moreton Bay (7) Marine Parks. Some 83 MPAs with a total area of 6,028 sq km have been declared under the Fisheries Act 1976; these comprise 48 Fish Habitat Reserves, 29 Wetland Reserves and six Fish Sanctuaries. There are also 30 national parks and six environmental parks along the coast with a total intertidal area of 820 sq km. Five protected zones have been declared for shipwrecks.(76)

New South Wales

New South Wales has diverse tropical and temperate marine communities such as coral reefs, rocky reefs, estuaries, coastal lakes and mangroves (52),(77). Aquatic Reserves are declared under amendments to the NSW Fisheries and Oyster Farms Act 1935, although new legislation is in the revised Act which is currently before Parliament. Aquatic Reserves are managed by New South Wales Fisheries. MPAs are also declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1967 (77).

New South Wales has eight Aquatic Reserves: (1) the Julian Rocks (off Byron Bay); (2) the Solitary Islands (off Coffs Harbour-Wooli); (3) Fly Point-Halifax Park (Port Stephens); (4) Long Reef (North Sydney); (5) North Sydney Harbour (near Manly); (6) Towra Point (Botany Bay); (7) Shiprocks (Port Hacking); (8) Bushrangers Bay (south of Wollongong). With the exception of (2), most are relatively small areas. Large multiple-use MPAs are planned for Lord Howe Island and Jervis Bay (9). An extensive system of Intertidal Protected Areas is currently being established.(77)

New South Wales has 30 MPAs declared as parts of National Parks and Nature Reserves. These cover over 150,000 ha and include nearly 2,000 ha of mangrove and 280 ha of seagrass. Largest MPAs are: Fullerton Cove, Kooragang NP (1,536 ha); Cowan Ck and the Basin, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP (1,064 ha); Lake Innes and Lake Cathie, Lake Innes NP (1,150 ha); Bombah Broadwater, Myall and Boolambayte Lakes, Big Gibber to Mungo Brush beaches, Myall Lakes NP (9,700 ha).(77)

Victoria

Victoria has a wide variety of temperate marine habitats, from rocky shores and sandy beaches, to large sheltered bays, inlets, estuaries and coastal lakes.(53),(78)

Victoria has a policy for integrated environmental management and has effectively combined the various marine environmental agencies into the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with a strong regional framework which aids in integrated catchment management. Marine responsibilities include fisheries, fauna and flora, and national parks.(78)

Victoria has largely emphasised pollution management to date, although it has established 12 relatively small MPAs. The main MPAs are the (1) Harold Holt Marine Reserves (Point Nepean, Point Lonsdale, Mud Island, Swan Bay, Pope's Eye); (2) Point Cook Marine Reserves (3) South Gippsland Marine and Coastal Parks (Wilsons Promontory Marine Park, Wilsons Promontory Marine Reserve, Shallow Inlet Marine and Coastal Park, Corner Inlet Marine and Coastal Park, Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park); and (4) Bunurong Marine Park.(78)

Tasmania

Tasmania has diverse cool temperate and subantarctic marine habitats. It includes the core of one of the world's smallest marine bioregions, and a bioregion with one of the world's highest diversities of marine plants.(54),(79)

MPAs are declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 and are jointly managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and Fisheries agencies under the Fisheries Act 1959.(79)

Tasmania has 19 MPAs (about 2% of the coast), the majority of which were set aside for reasons other than marine conservation. The main MPAs are: (1) Maria Island National Park; (2) Governor Island Marine Nature Reserve; (3) Tinderbox Marine Nature Reserve; (4) Nine Pin Point Marine Nature Reserve; and (5) Port Davy/Bathurst Harbour in the Southwest National Park.(78)

South Australia

South Australia's biologically diverse coastal and marine ecosystems are of great ecological, cultural and economic importance.(55),(80)

South Australia was the first State to legislate for MPAs, in 1971. Primary responsibility for the protection of aquatic habitats lies with the Fisheries Act 1981 but MPAs may also be declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981.(80)

South Australia currently has 30 MPAs, with a total area of around 300 sq km (1.5% of State waters). The main MPAs are: (1) Point Labatt; (2) Cowleds Landing; (3) Blanche Harbour; (4) Yatala Harbour; (5) Goose Island; (6) Troubridge Hill; (7) Chapman Creek; (8) Barker Inlet; (9) Port Noarlunga and Onkaparinga Estuary; (10) Aldinga Reef; (11) West Island; (12) American River; (13) Bales Beach, Seal Bay; (14) Clinton Conservation Park; (15) Troubridge Island Conservation Park; and (16) Dangerous Reef Conservation Park.(80)

Western Australia

Western Australia has the longest coastline. It has biogeographically distinctive tropical and temperate fauna and flora, and an overlap zone.(56),(81)

Marine conservation reserves are declared under the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 and are managed by the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), which is also responsible for the conservation of marine wildlife. Fish resources are managed by the Fisheries Department. The Environment Protection Authority assesses proposed projects which may affect the marine environment, and various commissions are responsible for particular waterways(81).

Western Australia has an active MPA program, with seven areas totalling 11,459 sq km. These are (1) Marmion; (2) Ningaloo; (3) Rowley Shoals; (4) Swan Estuary; (5) Shark Bay; (6) Shoalwater Islands Marine Parks; and (7) Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve. A comprehensive scientific report released for public comment in 1994 identifies around 70 candidate areas for a network of MPAs, from the Kimberley Coast in the north, to the southern coast(81).

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory contains some of the most pristine and culturally, scenically and ecologically important coastal and marine areas in Australia's tropics. Aboriginal people control around 84% of the coastline, to the low water marks.(57),(82)

Agencies with responsibilities for marine conservation include the Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory and the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries. So far MPAs have been established in the Cobourg and Darwin areas and others are planned.(82)

The Northern Territory's major MPAs are: (1) Cobourg Marine Park; (2) Casuarina Coastal Reserve; and (3) East Point Aquatic Life Reserve. The Beagle Gulf Marine Park (4) is being planned with the support of the Ocean Rescue 2000 program.(82)