Government to extend Ningaloo Marine Park

26/07/04
The State Government today announced plans to increase the conservation value of one of Australia's greatest natural attractions - the Ningaloo Reef.
Premier Geoff Gallop, Environment Minister Judy Edwards and Fisheries Minister Kim Chance released a proposal to extend the Ningaloo Marine Park area by 38,000ha, or 17 per cent.
This would include all of the Ningaloo Reef (290km) instead of the current 80 per cent and increase the size of the sanctuary zones from 10 per cent of the existing park to 28 per cent of the proposed extended park.
Dr Gallop said the Government was committed to ensuring the State had a world-class parks system and new areas for conservation and research.
"Ningaloo Reef is recognised internationally as one of the world's great fringing coral reef systems," he said.
"It is the most distinctive and diverse marine region in Western Australia and the Government is determined that its integrity be protected.
"Sanctuary zones are selected to give comprehensive and adequate representation of the wide range of ecosystems across the park. Extending the size of the zones will allow scientists to study and monitor these areas free of the vast majority of human impacts."
A new draft management plan for the park includes a proposal to extend the boundary 60km southward to Red Bluff (additional 38,000ha). It is also proposed to create a new marine conservation reserve to the north, around the Muiron Islands and Sunday Island (additional 28,000ha).
A marine management area has high conservation value but still allows for major industry uses such as petroleum exploration and production. It is one of the three reserve categories under the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984, along with marine parks and marine nature reserves.
Dr Edwards said if implemented, the draft management plan would increase the area of the Ningaloo Marine Park to about 264,000ha.
"This means the marine conservation reserve network in the waters off the North-West Cape would cover more than 292,000ha," she said.
"This builds on our previous commitments to protect the Ningaloo Reef by rejecting plans for a large-scale marina development at Maud's Landing.
"The Government has provided additional funding to manage the marine park, install a waste water treatment plant at Coral Bay and build boat launching facilities. We have also begun the process to have an area including the Ningaloo Reef and the adjoining Cape Range National Park nominated for World Heritage listing."
Mr Chance said Western Australians would still be able to enjoy access to recreational fishing along most of the park's shoreline.
"Although Ningaloo is only a fraction of the size of the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland, it has an equivalent diversity of corals and fish life," he said.
"But we also recognise the popularity of beach fishing and the sanctuary zone boundaries have, in many cases, been placed 100m offshore so that line fishing from the shore can continue along 70 per cent of the park's coastline."
The reef is habitat to more than 200 species of coral, 600 species of shellfish and other molluscs, 500 species of fish and several threatened species such as dugong and turtles. It also is a critical migratory path for humpback whales and important aggregation and feeding area for whale sharks.
The draft management plan was prepared on behalf of the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority by the Department of Conservation and Land Management in conjunction with the locally based Coral Coast Parks Advisory Committee.
It has been released for a three-month public comment period.
Copies of the plan are available from CALM's Exmouth Office and Marine Conservation Branch in Henry Street, Fremantle as well as on CALM's Internet site - http://www.naturebase.net
Comments should be sent to the Plan Co-ordinator, Ningaloo Marine Park, Marine Conservation Branch, Department of Conservation and Land Management, 47 Henry Street, Fremantle, WA 6160. Submissions also can be made through CALM's website at http://www.naturebase.net/haveyoursay
Media contacts:
Premier's office - 9222 9475
Office for the Minister of Environment - 9220 5050
Office for the Minister for Fisheries - 9213 6700