Western Australian Marine Park a New Safe Haven
April 26, 2012
The government of the state of Western Australia has announced plans to create a nearly 2,700-square-mile (7,000-square-kilometer) marine park about 185 miles (300 kilometers) northeast of Broome. The goal is to ensure greater conservation of the region’s Kimberley Coast. Less than 1 percent of this coastal area currently falls under government protection.
The Camden Sound Marine Park is designed to protect and conserve the Kimberley Coast's marine life, including coral reefs. (Image courtesy of Doug Perrine, Innerspace Visions)
The proposed Camden Sound Marine Park will be made up of several different zones: a “special purpose” zone for the protection of the estimated 22,000 humpback whales that live in the area during their calving season; a “wilderness fishing” zone, in which recreational fishers must release or eat their catch before leaving; and two “sanctuary” zones around the Champagny Islands and Montgomery Reef. The park contains areas of seagrass, coral reefs, tidal flats, and mangrove forests. It serves as a habitat for a wide variety of species, including dolphins, crocodiles, and dugongs.
Such conservation groups such as the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and the Pew Environment Group support the project, but not everyone is satisfied. Australian Member of Parliament Sally Talbot–currently parliamentary secretary to the Minister for the Environment–strongly objects to the inclusion of any commercial fishing in the protected area. As currently planned, 23 percent of the park will be closed to all commercial fishing, and 48 percent will be closed to commercial trawl fishing. Trawl fishing involves the use of weighted, funnel-shaped nets that are dragged along the ocean bottom. Critics note that the practice damages the sea floor and often results in the catching of undersized or protected fish.
The park, which is expected to be created by mid-2012, is the first of four marine parks planned for the area. It will be managed jointly by the state government and traditional owners, including the Dambimangari and Uunguu peoples.
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