Yaringa Marine National Park, French Island Marine National Park and Churchill Island Marine National Park Is Approved for Implementation
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Yaringa Marine National Park For more information contact the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963, or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au French Island Marine National Park Churchill Island Marine National Park Management Plan December 2007 This Management Plan for Yaringa Marine National Park, French Island Marine National Park and Churchill Island Marine National Park is approved for implementation. Its purpose is to direct all aspects of management of the parks until the plan is reviewed. A Draft Management Plan for the area was published in August 2006. Twelve submissions were received. All submissions have been considered in preparing this approved Management Plan. Information For further information on this plan, please contact: Chief Ranger, Mornington / Western Port District Parks Victoria PO Box 400 Rosebud VIC 3939 Phone: (03) 5986 9100 Copies This plan may be downloaded from the Parks Victoria website (www.parkweb.vic.gov.au). Copies of the plan may be purchased for $8.80 including GST from: Parks Victoria Information Centre Level 10, 535 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone: 13 1963 Parks Victoria San Remo Office 113 Marine Parade San Remo VIC 3925 Phone: (03) 5678 5247 Parks Victoria Rosebud Office Hinton Street Rosebud VIC 3939 Phone: (03) 5986 9100 YARINGA MARINE NATIONAL PARK FRENCH ISLAND MARINE NATIONAL PARK CHURCHILL ISLAND MARINE NATIONAL PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN December 2007 Published in December 2007 by Parks Victoria Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000 Cover: Mangroves (Photo: William Boyle) Parks Victoria, October 2007, Yaringa Marine National Park, French Island Marine National Park and Churchill Island Marine National Park Management Plan, Parks Victoria Yaringa Marine National Park, French Island Marine National Park and Churchill Island Marine National Park management plan: Bibliography. ISBN 9780731183722 1. Marine parks and reserves - Victoria – Mornington / Western Port Region - Management. 2. Conservation of natural resources - Victoria - Mornington / Western Port Region. 3. Yaringa Marine National Park, French Island Marine National Park and Churchill Island Marine National Park (Vic.) - Management. I. Parks Victoria. II. Title. Acknowledgements Acknowledgement of Country. In their rich culture, Indigenous Australians are intrinsically connected to the continent – including the area now known as Victoria. Parks Victoria recognises that the parks are part of Country of the Traditional Owners. Parks Victoria is grateful to all those organisations and individuals who have contributed to this Management Plan. Special thanks go to members of the Western Port Marine National Parks Management Plan Advisory Group, Richard Appleman, Stefan Borzecki, Denis Cox, Jill Fitzroy-Kelly, Hamish Hughes, Rosalind Jessop, Amy McDonald, Ron Mantel, Anwyn Martin, Michelle Neesham, Bessie Tyers and Jeff Weir. Note Technical terms used in this plan are explained in the Glossary at the end of the plan. Disclaimers This plan is prepared without prejudice to any negotiated or litigated outcome of any native title determination applications covering land or waters within the plan’s area. It is acknowledged that any future outcomes of native title determination applications may necessitate amendment of this plan; and the implementation of this plan may require further notifications under the procedures in Division 3 of Part 2 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth). The plan is also prepared without prejudice to any future negotiated outcomes between the Government/s and Victorian Indigenous communities. It is acknowledged that such negotiated outcomes may necessitate amendment of this plan. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this plan is accurate. Parks Victoria does not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence that may arise from you relying on any information in the publication. Text printed on 100% recycled paper to help save our natural environment FOREWORD Yaringa Marine National Park, French Island The care of Yaringa, French Island and Marine National Park and Churchill Island Churchill Island Marine National Parks is not a Marine National Park protect intertidal task for the government alone, nor only for mudflats fringed by one of the most extensive those who live on the coast. It is a task for the areas of salt marsh and mangrove communities whole Victorian community. This in Victoria. The parks provide habitat for a Management Plan sets out the ways in which diverse range of fish and invertebrates we can work together to learn about, protect including the highly unusual and very rare and sustain an important part of our marine ‘living fossil’ lampshell brachiopod. environment. The three Marine National Parks form part of I thank the Western Port Marine National the Western Port Ramsar Site; recognised as a Parks Management Plan Advisory Group for wetland of international significance and one their valuable contribution to the plan, and also of the three most important areas for migratory wish to thank those individuals and waders in Victoria. organisations who made submissions on the Draft Management Plan and I look forward to Thousands of migratory wader birds and local the community's ongoing support for the seabirds draw visitors to observe nature by management of Yaringa, French Island and sightseeing and bird-watching activities. The Churchill Island Marine National Parks. tranquil and remote nature of the parks provides limited but sustainable opportunities for visitor enjoyment and appreciation of the parks. GAVIN JENNINGS MLC Minister for Environment and Climate Change Yaringa, French Island and Churchill Island Marine National Parks 3 APPROVED MANAGEMENT PLAN This Management Plan has been prepared The plan provides the basis for the future under section 17D of the National Parks Act management of Yaringa Marine National Park, 1975 (Vic.) and is approved for French Island Marine National Park and implementation. Churchill Island Marine National Park. It was finalised following consideration of the 12 submissions received on the Draft Management Plan. MARK STONE PETER HARRIS Chief Executive Secretary to the Parks Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 4 Yaringa, French Island and Churchill Island Marine National Parks INTRODUCTION TO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT Victorians are custodians of some of the most vertebrates are fish, although mammals and remarkable, diverse, and culturally important reptiles also inhabit the marine environment marine environments on Earth. These include and many birds inhabit both realms. deep open water, shallow embayments, rocky Although they are very different physically reefs, canyons, seagrass meadows, tidal and biologically, the land, atmosphere and sandflats and mudflats, and estuaries, and they marine environments are interconnected. support more than 12 000 known species. Water and gases are transferred between Around 90% of these marine species are found oceans and the atmosphere. There are animals only in the waters of southern Australia. with both marine and freshwater life stages, Broadly speaking, Victoria has responsibility and some species breed in estuaries where for the waters that extend offshore to 3 nautical fresh water from the land mixes with oceanic miles and cover around 70 000 square salt water. Fresh water and sediments from kilometres. Marine National Parks and Marine catchments far inland are dispersed into coastal Sanctuaries make up about 5% of this area, but waters, bringing with them nutrients needed to protect a range of significant species and maintain inshore marine ecosystems but also important habitats, as well as evidence of past pollution from human activities. Indigenous occupation and use. The sea interconnects marine habitats over The vast three-dimensional marine great distances. Tides and currents move environment has characteristics that are very sediments, plankton and organic matter into different from those of the land and and through habitats, along with flotsam, atmosphere. The fundamental physical jetsam, ballast water and oils from catchments properties – pressure, temperature, salinity, or inshore waters, released from ships on the density and availability of nutrients and gases open seas or washed from the shores of other – are all very different. There are also great countries. Many marine animals migrate long differences in the types of substrates, and the distances, passing freely into and out of physical and biological processes that occur, Victorian waters and spending much of their such as tides, currents, light penetration, lives in the open ocean. erosion, sedimentation, oxygen uptake, life cycles and even the food chains. A vision for Victoria’s system of Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries The organisms that occupy the marine environment are different as well. On land ‘A world-class system of Marine National vascular plants dominate, but in marine Parks and Marine Sanctuaries that conserves habitats they are much less common. In most the diversity of Victoria’s marine marine environments their ecological roles in environments, protected and enjoyed by Victorians and visitors, forever.’ photosynthesis and oxygen production are undertaken by algae, which range in size from This vision is detailed in the Marine National giant kelps to minute single-celled species. Parks and Marine Sanctuaries Management Other single-celled organisms such as diatoms,