Neptune Islands Group Marine Park Draft Management Plan Summary
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Neptune Islands Group Marine Park Draft Management Plan Summary Government of South Australia www.marineparks.sa.gov.au South Australians have a proud history of conserving our wild and natural places. Our National Parks and reserves are icons that hold countless special memories and link us to our natural history. Now it’s time to turn our attention to our coastal waters. Southern Australia’s waters are home to an The journey that’s brought us to the draft management amazing diversity of marine life, with about 85 plan (summarised in this guide for you) has been the per cent of marine species found nowhere else in most comprehensive public engagement program in the world. However our waters are not immune to South Australia’s history. In that time we have worked global challenges such as pollution, resource use, with 14 local advisory groups, the conservation sector development, pest organisms and climate change. and various fishing groups, as well as listened to more Marine parks with sanctuary zones will help us protect than 30,000 South Australians. our marine environment from the increasing pressure it Now it is your chance to review these draft plans and is under. Currently only about 1 per cent of our coastal make a submission if you wish. This summary brochure waters are under high-level protection. By setting aside contains the essential details for how we propose to additional areas as sanctuary zones we are making an zone and manage the Neptune Islands Group Marine important investment for the future. Park and how to make a submission. The Neptune Islands Group Marine Park is centred on a Copies of draft management plans and other remote, offshore island group rising steeply from deep supporting information for each of the 19 marine parks water and exposed to strong wind and waves. are available at www.marineparks.sa.gov.au, at public The park is recognised globally as a hotspot for great information sessions across the state or by telephoning white sharks, which is why caged diving is a significant freecall 1800 006 120. tourism industry in the area. We have been determined to get the balance right Some of the special places, plants and animals to between community needs and conservation. get high level protection under this plan include an Experiences elsewhere have shown that community internationally-significant site for white shark; bronze ownership of marine parks is central to their long-term and dusky whaler, blue shark, school shark, smooth success. hammerhead and short-fin mako feeding habitats; the With that in mind, I encourage you to carefully consider two largest breeding colonies of New Zealand fur seals the Government’s proposal and to have your say. in South Australia; numerous seabird species and site- attached reef fish such as harlequin fish, western blue devil and several species of wrasse. South Australia’s marine parks have been a decade in the making. When zoning comes in to effect, they’ll Hon Paul Caica MP help protect our most precious marine areas while still Minister for Sustainability, allowing South Australia to prosper. You and I will Environment and Conservation still be able to enjoy our favourite pastimes, including recreational fishing which has been crucial to the design of these parks. Marine Park 7 - Neptune Islands Group 136°0'E 136°2'E 136°4'E 136°6'E 136°8'E 136°10'E 136°12'E What the zones do and why S S ' ' 2 2 1 1 ° ° 5 5 3 Where can The Key Activities and Uses Guide summarises the major 3 recreational fishers activities permitted in each marine park zone. North Neptune Island SZ and RAZ (74km2) wet a line? World renowned hot spot for great white sharks. Existing ecotourism site. Habitat Protection Zones (HPZ) allow as being an important breeding site for New Zealand fur seal breeding, resting and feeding area. activities and uses that do not harm New Zealand fur seals and a small haul North Neptune Zone 3or 5 Islands habitats or the functioning of ecosystems. out and breeding site for Australian sea GMUZ 3 lions, North Neptune Island is regarded as S S ' ' RAZ-1 SZ-1 One HPZ is proposed at the South Neptune 4 4 1 1 ° ° 5 5 3 HPZ 3 Islands and covers 49% of the marine the most important aggregation area for 3 park. The HPZ helps to protect a range of white sharks in southern Australia and is SZ 5 offshore island habitats including shallow the site of a growing white shark viewing ecotourism industry. Key ecological RAZ 5 and deep reefs, sandy seafloor and deep water unmapped habitats as well as the features and habitats supporting these breeding and/or foraging sites for species species are protected and include sheltered such as Australian sea lions, New Zealand and exposed reefs in both shallow and S S ' ' 6 deep waters, sheltered embayments with 6 1 1 ° fur seals, white sharks and a range of ° 5 5 3 other species of conservation concern. uncommon offshore seagrass meadows 3 Most forms of commercial and recreational and deep water unmapped habitats fishing is provided for in the HPZ. surrounding the islands. Sanctuary Zones (SZ) prohibit the Restricted Access Zones (RAZ) limit removal or harm of plants, animals or access to an area allowing a very high level marine products to provide a high level of of conservation and providing scientific S reference sites. S ' ' 8 conservation. 8 1 1 ° ° 5 5 3 3 The one proposed SZ is the core Two RAZ are proposed, covering 2% of conservation area, covering 49% of this this park. Both proposed RAZ overlay park. The proposed SZ encompasses North the current access restrictions under the Neptune Island, known as one of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 for the Neptune Islands Group Conservation Park most significant areas in South Australia’s South Neptune marine environment for the range of and have no marine extent. Islands RAZ-2 HPZ-1 S S ' threatened species found there. As well ' 0 0 2 2 ° ° 5 5 3 3 Proposed activities and uses permissible in each marine park zone are set out in the zoning tables, available in the South Australia’s Marine Parks Network Explanatory Document or at www.marineparks.sa.gov.au S S ' ' 2 2 2 2 ° ° 5 5 3 3 For further map detail refer to the relevant boundary definition map in the draft management plan. 136°0'E 136°2'E 136°4'E 136°6'E 136°8'E 136°10'E 136°12'E Produced by Marine Parks Project Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources GPO BOX 1047 Adelaide SA 5001 www.marineparks.sa.gov.au Data Source Marine Parks, NPWSA, Marine Park Draft Zoning Topographic Topographic Data Coastline (median high water) - DEWNR Restricted Access Zone (Existing) Existing Reserves under other Acts Compiled 5 July 2012 0 2 Projection Lambert Conformal Conic Sanctuary Zone Marine Park Boundary Datum Geocentric Datum of Australia, 1994 © Copyright Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources 2012. Kms All Rights Reserved. All works and information displayed are subject to Copyright. For Adelaide Habitat Protection Zone Coastline (median high water) the reproduction Or publication beyond that permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth) written permission must be sought from the Department. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information displayed, THIS MAP IS INDICATIVE ONLY AND IS NOT the Department, its agents, officers and employees make no representations, either express INTENDED FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES or implied, that the information displayed is accurate or fit for any purpose and expressly disclaims all liability for loss or damage arising from reliance upon the information displayed. CONSULTATION NOTE: The zoning is provisional and is subject to change following public consultation. Each zone has a specific identifier. Please include this identifier (e.g. SZ-1) and the marine park name when preparing written submissions. DEH MapID: 2012-6061 DEH St andar d Marine Park 7 - Neptune Islands Group 136°0'E 136°2'E 136°4'E 136°6'E 136°8'E 136°10'E 136°12'E S S ' ' 2 2 1 1 ° ° 5 5 3 3 North Neptune Island SZ and RAZ (74km2) World renowned hot spot for great white sharks. Existing ecotourism site. New Zealand fur seal breeding, resting and feeding area. North Neptune Islands S S ' ' RAZ-1 SZ-1 4 4 1 1 ° ° 5 5 3 3 S S ' ' 6 6 1 1 ° ° 5 5 3 3 S S ' ' 8 8 1 1 ° ° 5 5 3 3 South Neptune Islands RAZ-2 HPZ-1 S S ' ' 0 0 2 2 ° ° 5 5 3 3 S S ' ' 2 2 2 2 ° ° 5 5 3 3 For further map detail refer to the relevant boundary definition map in the draft management plan. 136°0'E 136°2'E 136°4'E 136°6'E 136°8'E 136°10'E 136°12'E Produced by Marine Parks Project Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources GPO BOX 1047 Adelaide SA 5001 www.marineparks.sa.gov.au Data Source Marine Parks, NPWSA, Marine Park Draft Zoning Topographic Topographic Data Coastline (median high water) - DEWNR Restricted Access Zone (Existing) Existing Reserves under other Acts Compiled 5 July 2012 0 2 Projection Lambert Conformal Conic Sanctuary Zone Marine Park Boundary Datum Geocentric Datum of Australia, 1994 © Copyright Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources 2012. Kms All Rights Reserved. All works and information displayed are subject to Copyright. For Adelaide Habitat Protection Zone Coastline (median high water) the reproduction Or publication beyond that permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth) written permission must be sought from the Department.