« Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network
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New Lord Howe Commonwealth Marine Reserve
Management
The new Lord Howe Commonwealth Marine Reserve covers an area of more than 110 000km2 and encompasses the former Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth waters) and the former Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve. A management plan will be prepared for the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network and will cover all eight new reserves.
- Former Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth waters)
- Former Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve
Transitional management arrangements apply until a management plan for the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network is in place.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR MARINE USERS
Transitional arrangements for new areas added to the Commonwealth marine reserve estate
From the declaration of Commonwealth marine reserves in November 2012 until management plans come into effect in July 2014, transitional arrangements apply.
- Under the transitional arrangements, there are NO CHANGES ON THE WATER for users of new areas added to the Commonwealth marine reserves estate.
- NOTE: There are no changes to management arrangements in the marine reserves that existed prior to the establishment of the new reserves, that is, the same restrictions on activities will continue to apply even where those reserves have been incorporated into new reserves.
Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), during the period between proclamation of the reserves and the implementation of a management plan, approval from the Director of National Parks is required to allow existing commercial activities and activities that involve the taking of native species (fishing) to legally continue. This approval from the Director of National Parks is issued under section 359B of the EPBC Act. Approval can be given to both individuals and to classes of persons, and can be issued with or without conditions on the approved activity.
Accordingly, the Director has issued a number of different approvals for users of the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network. These approvals are outlined below.
Transitional arrangements - approvals and determinations
The Director of National Parks has issued a general approval for all new areas added to the Commonwealth marine reserve estate in the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network. This general approval excludes areas within former Commonwealth marine reserves, Marine National Nature Reserves and Marine Parks, such as the Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve, Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters), Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve and the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve (Commonwealth waters). Separate approvals apply to actions in the areas of these former reserves.
The general approval for the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network provides for existing activities to continue while a management plan is prepared. The following actions are approved subject to conditions under the general approval for the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network:
- Commercial fishing
- Recreational (non-commercial) fishing
- Commercial tourism
- Mining operations
- Commercial vessel transit (being continuous passage of a vessel through an area by the shortest direct route without any other activity being carried on)
- Aquaculture
- Commercial media activities
- Commercial image capture
- Erecting structures, carrying out works and carrying on an excavation.
For further information contact the department.
Transitional arrangements - approvals and determinations for the former Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) and Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Information on transitional arrangements for areas of former reserves:
- Former Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth waters)
- Former Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve
The transitional arrangements will remain in place until a management plan comes into effect.
Management plans
A management plan for the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network is being developed in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). This plan will provide for the protection and conservation of each reserve by setting out how it will be managed, what activities will be allowed or prohibited and how this will be done. The management plan will address key aspects of management over the life of the plan (10 years).
Preparation of a network management plan
Former management plans
Management plans for the former Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth waters) and former Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve have now expired and transitional management arrangements apply until a management plan is in place for the Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network.
Contact
Commonwealth Marine Reserves Branch
Parks Australia
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Edgar Waite Building
203 Channel Highway
Kingston TAS 7050
or
Email: marinereserves@environment.gov.au
Phone: 1800 069 352