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Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve

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Overview

Name	Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve
Proclamation date	28 June 2007 (effective 3 September 2007)
Area	42,501 km2
Types of zoning	IUCN VI – Multiple Use Zone – 20,496 km2 IUCN VI – Special Purpose Zone – 21,313 km2 IUCN 1a – Sanctuary Zone – 692 km2
Management plan status	Interim management arrangements

At over 42,500 square kilometres, the Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve is the second largest of the reserves in the South-east Marine Region. It extends south-west of Tasmania from the continental shelf to the Exclusive Economic Zone boundary, 200 nautical miles from land. The Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve complements the Port-Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Protected Area, which was recently declared by the Tasmanian Government. The Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve contains steep canyons and other geological features that are believed to be home to unique fauna.

Special features

The Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve spans the continental shelf, continental slope and deeper water ecosystems of a primary biological zone to the south of Tasmania. It is scored by steep canyons and encloses other geological features which, are believed to be characterised by unique fauna, including steep escarpments and troughs, saddles, canyons, basins and part of a plateau that is over 400 kilometres long rises up to three kilometres above the seafloor.

Its northernmost section includes a drowned river valley. Natural values of this reserve include habitat important for the fairy prion, little penguin, common diving petrel, short-tailed shearwater, silver gull, school shark and blue warehou.

Due to its southerly location, extending south of the sub-tropical convergence zone and into the sub-Antarctic front, the fauna of this reserve includes sub-Antarctic fishes and seabed invertebrates in at least the continental shelf and continental slope. Biodiversity in this Commonwealth Marine Reserve is also influenced by the Zeehan Current which is the most easterly extent of flow from the Indian Ocean around southern Australia.