Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park Draft Management Plan Summary
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Upper Gulf St Vincent 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 South Australia’s marine parks have been a decade in amazing diversity of marine life, with about 85 the making. When zoning comes in to effect, they’ll per cent of marine species found nowhere else in help protect our most precious marine areas while still the world. However our waters are not immune to allowing South Australia to prosper. You and I will global challenges such as pollution, resource use, still be able to enjoy our favourite pastimes, including development, pest organisms and climate change. recreational fishing which has been crucial to the design Marine parks with sanctuary zones will help us protect of these parks. our marine environment from the increasing pressure it The journey that’s brought us to the draft management is under. Currently only about 1 per cent of our coastal plan (summarised in this guide for you) has been the waters are under high-level protection. By setting aside most comprehensive public engagement program in additional areas as sanctuary zones we are making an South Australia’s history. In that time we have worked important investment for the future. with 14 local advisory groups, the conservation sector The Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park is a major and various fishing groups, as well as listened to more fish nursery and spawning ground. Located at than 30,000 South Australians. the head of the gulf and with extensive seagrass Now it is your chance to review these draft plans and meadows, mangrove forests, mudflats, tidal creeks and make a submission if you wish. This summary brochure saltmarshes, it provides the essential refuge to ensure contains the essential details for how we propose to thousands of juvenile fish and other animals survive zone and manage the Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine their first season. Park and how to make a submission. Some of the special places, plants and animals to Copies of draft management plans and other get high level protection under this plan include the supporting information for each of the 19 marine parks breeding and nursery grounds for many well known are available at www.marineparks.sa.gov.au, at public fish and crustacean species; important feeding and information sessions across the state or by telephoning resting sites for local and migratory shorebirds; freecall 1800 006 120. protected pipe fish live in the sea grass habitats of this We have been determined to get the balance right park; the uncommon magpie fiddler ray, which may be between community needs and conservation. unique to the Upper Gulf St Vincent as it has not been Experiences elsewhere have shown that community recorded elsewhere; and razor fish beds in the inter- ownership of marine parks is central to their long-term tidal mudflats and near-shore seagrass meadows. success. With that in mind, I encourage you to carefully consider the Government’s proposal and to have your say. Hon Paul Caica MP Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation Marine Park 14 - Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park 137°55'E 138°0'E 138°5'E 138°10'E 138°15'E 138°20'E 138°25'E What the zones do and why Port Arthur Balaklava S S ' ' 0 0 1 1 ° ° 4 4 3 3 SZ-1 Where can The Key Activities and Uses Guide summarises the major Clinton Wetlands SZ (62km2) Port Wakefield Wetland of national importance. Mangroves, saltmarsh and seagrass beds provide homes recreational fishers activities permitted in each marine park zone. for juvenile fish including garfish, whiting, blue swimmer crab and protected pipe fish. wet a line? General Managed Use Zones (GMUZ) Sanctuary Zones (SZ) prohibit the SPA-1 Clinton Port Clinton Zone 3or 5 allow ecologically sustainable development removal or harm of plants, animals or • and use. marine products to provide a high level of • • • S S ' GMUZ ' • 5 3 5 • 1 1 • conservation. • ° ° 4 One GMUZ is proposed, covering 3% of 4 • 3 3 Port Price • HPZ the Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park. The four proposed SZ are the core • 3 • • • This zone provides for shipping activities conservation areas, covering 14% of this • 5 SZ • • around Ardrossan. park. Proposed SZ provide a high level of Price • 5 protection for species, ecological features • RAZ • Habitat Protection Zones (HPZ) allow • and habitats of conservation importance Home to internationally important shore birds• • activities and uses that do not harm • Seagrass of Upper Gulf St Vincent SZ - Fish nursery for commercial and recreationally sought sh species2 including whiting. such as the extensive mangroves, • (110km including 87km2 of defence zone) • habitats or the functioning of ecosystems. Seagrass habitat provides shelter and refuge • • for many fish species including stingaree. S S ' ' 0 saltmarshes, tidal flats and seagrasses of 0 • 2 2 SPA-3 ° ° 4 4 • • 3 One HPZ is proposed, covering 74% of the Clinton Conservation Park and the 3 • this park. The proposed HPZ buffers the near pristine mangrove stands of the Light • • proposed sanctuary zones and helps to Defence • River Delta. These coastal wetlands are of Prohibited Wild Horse Plains • Area • protect important seagrass, mangrove and HPZ-1 SZ-2 RAZ-1 • national importance and are noted feeding • saltmarsh habitats, which provide critically and resting habitats sites for migratory • • • important nursery grounds for a wide • shorebirds protected under international Tiddy Widdy • range of species found throughout the treatise as well as critical nursery areas for Beach • • • S S ' ' 5 gulf. The rare stingaree has been recorded 5 • 2 2 Ardrossan • ° marine species. Offshore SZ protect deeper ° 4 4 3 3 • in this area and the seagrass meadows SPA-2 • • water seagrasses and the species inhabiting • Parham • provide habitat for protected pipe fish • those areas. GMUZ-1 • communities. The HPZ also helps to protect Webb Beach Restricted Access Zones (RAZ) limit Dublin the coastal wetlands listed as being of Parara Point national significance. The majority of areas access to an area allowing a very high level of commercial and recreational fishing of conservation and providing scientific importance are provided for with the reference sites. Thompson Beach Rogues Point S S ' ' SZ-3 0 0 3 3 ° ° 4 design of the HPZ. One RAZ is proposed, covering 9% of 4 3 3 this park. This zone overlays the existing Zanoni Port Prime Shipwreck Defence Prohibited Area, which already prohibits public access. Light Beach Road Special Purpose Areas (SPA) allow specified activities that would otherwise be prohibited in a particular zone. S S ' ' 5 5 Light River 3 3 SZ-4 ° ° 4 4 Delta 3 Three SPA are proposed in this park, 3 providing for the ongoing management of Middle Beach the Port Wakefield and Ardrossan harbors Light River Delta SZ (16km2) 2 and the Defence Prohibited Area. Offshore Ardrossan SZ (37km ) Wetland of national importance. Important snapper spawning ground. Mangrove estuary a significant nursery habitat for fish. Includes existing protected ship wreck. One of the best preserved mangrove systems in SA. Port Gawler Beach For further map detail refer to the relevant boundary definition map in the draft management plan. Proposed activities and uses permissible in each marine park zone 137°55'E 138°0'E 138°5'E 138°10'E 138°15'E 138°20'E 138°25'E Port are set out in the zoning tables, available in the Gawler CP Marine Park Draft Zoning Topographic South Australia’s Marine Parks Network Explanatory Document Produced by Marine Parks Project Restricted Access Zone (Existing) Built Up Area Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources GPO BOX 1047 Adelaide SA 5001 Sanctuary Zone Marine Park Boundary Data Source www.marineparks.sa.gov.au or at www.marineparks.sa.gov.au Marine Parks, NPWSA, Topographic Data, Habitat Protection Zone Existing Reserves under other Acts Coastline (median high water) - DEWNR Compiled 5 July 2012 • • 0 5 General Managed Use Zone Projection Lambert Conformal Conic • • Defence Prohibited Area Datum Geocentric Datum of Australia, 1994 Special Purpose Area © Copyright Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources 2012. Seaward Mangrove Extent Kms All Rights Reserved. All works and information displayed are subject to Copyright. For Adelaide (Harbor Activities) the reproduction Or publication beyond that permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth) Coastline (median high water) written permission must be sought from the Department. Special Purpose Area THIS MAP IS INDICATIVE ONLY AND IS NOT Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information displayed, the Department, its agents, officers and employees make no representations, either express (Defence Prohibited Area) INTENDED FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES or implied, that the information displayed is accurate or fit for any purpose and expressly Major Road disclaims all liability for loss or damage arising from reliance upon the information displayed. Minor Road 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: 2012-6041 DEH St andar d Marine Park 14 - Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park 137°55'E 138°0'E 138°5'E 138°10'E 138°15'E 138°20'E 138°25'E Port Arthur Balaklava S S ' ' 0 0 1 1 ° ° 4 4 3 3 SZ-1 Clinton Wetlands SZ (62km2) Port Wakefield Wetland of national importance.