Types of marine conservation reserves |
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Within the system of multiple-use marine conservation reserves being implemented in Western Australia there are three types of reserve category: marine nature reserves, marine parks and marine management areas. Click on each category to find out more. Marine nature reserves
Stromatolites, Hamelin Pool Nature Reserve. Photograph - DEC Marine nature reserves are created for conservation and scientific research. Although low-impact tourism may be permitted, they are ‘look but don’t take’ areas often referred to as ‘no take’ areas or marine sanctuaries. Marine nature reserves along with sanctuary zones in marine parks, provide the highest level of environmental protection of all the marine conservation reserve categories. Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve is currently the only marine nature reserve in Western Australia. Marine parks
Sign for Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Photograph - DEC Marine parks are created to protect natural features and aesthetic values while allowing recreational and commercial uses that do not compromise conservation values. There are nine marine parks in Western Australia: Jurien Bay Marine Park , Rowley Shoals Marine Park, Ningaloo Marine Park, Shark Bay Marine Park, Marmion Marine Park, Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, Swan Estuary Marine Park, Montebello Islands Marine Park and Barrow Island Marine Park . Marine parks have four management zone options: sanctuary, recreation, general use and special purpose. Sanctuary zones are ‘look but don’t take’ areas managed solely for nature conservation and low impact recreation and tourism. Sanctuary zones (like marine nature reserves) provide the highest level of protection for vulnerable or specially protected species and protect representative habitats from human disturbance. Passive recreational activities consistent with maintaining environmental values such as diving may be permitted, but extractive activities, including fishing are not. Commercial tourism operations, such as nature-based tours, are considered if they do not conflict with other uses and meet conservation objectives.
Sanctuary zone marker. Photograph - DEC Sanctuary zones
Sanctuary zones have been established in the following marine parks: Jurien Bay Marine Park , Ningaloo Marine Park, Shark Bay Marine Park, Marmion Marine Park, Rowley Shoals Marine Park, Montebello Islands Marine Park and Barrow Island Marine Park . Recreation zones provide for conservation and recreation, including recreational fishing, subject to bag limits and other conservation measures. Commercial fishing and aquaculture are not permitted in recreation zones. Recreational salmon fishermen at Boronup-Hamelin Bay. Photograph - DEC Recreation zones
Recreation zones have been established in the following marine parks: Ningaloo Marine Park, Shark Bay Marine Park, Marmion Marine Park, Rowley Shoals Marine Park and the Montebello Islands Marine Park. Special purpose zones are managed for a particular priority use or purpose. This could be protection an important marine habitat, a wildlife breeding area or activities such as whale watching. Uses compatible with the priority use or purpose are allowed in these zones. Humpback whale. Photograph - DEC Special purpose zonesSpecial purpose zones have been established in Jurien Bay Marine Park , Shark Bay Marine Park, Ningaloo Marine Park and the Montebello Islands Marine Park. General use zones
General use zones compose all other areas in marine parks, which are not classified as sanctuary, recreation or special purpose zones. Conservation of natural resources in general use zones is a priority purpose but activities such as sustainable commercial fishing, aquaculture, pearling and petroleum exploration and production are allowed provided they do not compromise the conservation values. Oil exploration off the Pilbara coast. Photograph - DEC General use zones have been established in the following marine parks: Jurien Bay Marine Park , Ningaloo Marine Park, Shark Bay Marine Park , Marmion Marine Park, Rowley Shoals Marine Park and the Montebello Islands Marine Park .Marine management areasMarine management areas provide a formal integrated management framework over areas that have high conservation value and intensive multiple-use. As with other marine conservation reserve categories, marine management areas will be subject to environmental impact assessments for activities referable under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EPA Act). In a marine management area, conservation is a primary purpose within the broader purpose of managing and protecting the marine environment. Section 62 of the Conservation and Land ManagementAct 1984 allows for classification of areas in marine management areas to facilitate management of a specific reserve, but this zoning is not mandatory as it is in marine parks. There are two marine management areas in Western Australia: Muiron Islands Marine Management Area and the Barrow Island Marine Management Area. |
