WWF 19 May 09;
What may become the world's largest marine protected area came a step closer today following the announcement by Australia’s environment minister Peter Garrett that the Coral Sea would become a Conservation Zone.
The area, which is found east of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine park and amounts to almost a million square kilometers, is home to significant seabirds and migratory marine species, and has remained relatively undisturbed by direct human impact.
“The Coral sea is one of the world’s healthiest marine wilderness areas, where it is still possible to see healthy populations of sharks, turtles, whales, fish and coral” said Lydia Gibson, WWF’s Marine Policy Manager in the region.
“WWF has been working hard to make sure this region receives the recognition it deserves.”
Under the conservation zone designation, current tourism and fishing activities can continue, but new commercial activity will be rigorously assessed while the government evaluates the region for its conservation value.
WWF worked with government and stakeholders to develop a set of criteria which Mr. Garrett says will be included in the final plan for the conservation of the Coral Sea.
“The pressures on our oceans are increasing and we need to take steps to protect our fragile marine environments,” Mr Garrett.
These criteria include the establishment of the protected area by 2011, ruling out oil and gas exploration and the creation of high-conservation zones within the Marine Protected Area.
This news comes shortly after the commitment last week by the six leaders of the Coral Triangle countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste – to protect the region by implementing a 10-year regional plan of action with time-bound steps to address growing threats to the region’s threatened species and other marine and coastal living resources.
“As climate change begins to effect ecosystems around the world, including the Coral Sea, marine protected areas provide a buffer zone, allowing species to adapt to the changes. WWF would like to see a chain of interconnected marine protected areas across the world, giving marine species the greatest chance of survival” said Ms. Gibson.
The existing Coral Sea national nature reserves – Coringa-Herald and Lihou Reef reserves, and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, are not included in the conservation zone.
Coral Sea Conservation Zone announced by Australia
Shane McLeod, ABC News 19 May 09;
PETER CAVE: The Federal Government has moved to protect nearly one million square kilometres of ocean off Australia's north-east coast while it considers whether to set up a new marine park or several of them in the region.
The Environment Minister Peter Garrett announced the move this morning, establishing the Coral Sea Conservation Zone in Australian territorial waters east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The Minister says there'll be no impact on those who already use the vast areas of ocean, and that existing fishing and cruising rights remain in place.
Environment reporter Shane McLeod has the story.
SHANE MCLEOD: The Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett is just back from Indonesia, where at the World Oceans Conference he's been hearing about fears for the future of the world's tropical seas.
Back home, he's announced some of the steps Australia will take in protecting those waters.
Standing before a tank filled with circling sharks at Sydney Aquarium, he's released details of the eastern Australia marine bioregional profile.
It's a key document in a long-running process the Government has been following to assess protection measures in place for all of the waters that surround the Australian territory.
And as it continues that assessment, the Minister has decided that the waters of the Coral Sea need immediate attention.
He's announced the establishment of the Coral Sea Conservation Zone.
PETER GARRETT: This will enable a period of thorough assessment of the values of this marine environment and we will welcome very much the involvement from all stakeholders and the Government in inputting into that assessment process.
SHANE MCLEOD: The conservation zone will cover nearly one million square kilometres, stretching from the east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park out to Australia's territorial boundaries with Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
Those who are already allowed to do things in the waters - like fishing, scientific research or cruise shipping - will be allowed to maintain their rights.
Peter Garrett says the goal is to stop any expansion of activity while the assessment of the region is underway.
PETER GARRETT: I'm confident that existing users will recognise that they have every opportunity to continue with the activities that they've been undertaking up to this point in time, so long as it's done in accordance with appropriate legislation.
I think on the part of the scientific community, there will be I think a recognition that we can see how important it is that we fully understand the range of values that an area like the Coral Sea has.
I'm very confident that the way in which we've made this decision enables us to properly and prudently assess the values of this area, whilst at the same time enabling those who have had activities in that area up to this point in time to continue them.
SHANE MCLEOD: The Minister's been lobbied by environmental groups to take drastic steps to protect the waters of the Coral Sea. Some are arguing for all extractive industries, including fishing, to be banned in the region.
The Minister says the establishment of the conservation zone is an interim step while various proposals are considered.
The US-based Pew Environmental Group is one of the groups that's been arguing for increased protection.
Its spokeswoman Elise Hawthorne says today's announcement by the Minister is a welcome step.
ELISE HAWTHORNE: We think it's a wonderful announcement today. We're very happy that the Minister made this announcement.
And we're just really supportive of anything that protects the Coral Sea. It's such an amazing, spectacular marine jewel that's part of Australia, and it's got an extremely important heritage value as well.
So we welcome today's announcement.
SHANE MCLEOD: The Minister has also won initial approval from recreational fishers in Queensland.
They've recently expressed concerns that fishing could be banned in the region.
And while they have yet to see the full details of today's announcement, they say they're happy the Minister has decided to maintain the status quo.
Peter Garrett believes it's the appropriate balance.
PETER GARRETT: It recognises that those who have existing activities underway in the Coral Sea area can continue them, whilst we get a deeper and a better understanding of the values of this incredible marine resource.
So I think that we have done absolutely the right thing in recognition of how important this region is. In doing that we're acknowledging that there are existing uses and that those existing uses can continue.
PETER CAVE: The Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett ending Shane McLeod's report.
