HAWKESBURY SHELF MARINE BIOREGION ASSESSMENT Review of 15 pre-identified sites Background The NSW Marine Estate Management Authority (the Authority) was established by the NSW Government in 2013 to advise on policies, priorities and directions for the NSW marine estate. The NSW marine estate includes marine waters, estuaries and the coast. It extends seaward out to three nautical miles and from the Queensland border in the north to the Victorian border in the south. The full definition and map can be found at www.marine.nsw.gov.au. Contributors The Authority acknowledges the key contributions of officers from the following in preparing this report: • NSW Department of Primary Industries • Office of Environment and Heritage • Transport for NSW • Department of Planning and Environment • Marine Estate Expert Knowledge Panel Published by the NSW Marine Estate Management Authority Hawkesbury Shelf marine bioregion assessment – Review of 15 pre-identified sites First published February 2016 ISBN 978-1-74256-894-2 More information This paper and more information about the Hawkesbury Shelf marine bioregion assessment are available at www.marine.nsw.gov.au. RM8 reference INT15/135534 © State of New South Wales through the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development, 2016.This publication is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material provided that the wording is reproduced exactly, the source is acknowledged, and the copyright, update address and disclaimer notice are retained. To copy, adapt, publish, distribute or commercialise any of this publication you will need to seek permission from the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development. Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (February 2016). however, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information with the marine estate secretariat or the user’s independent advisor. The concepts in this document are the views of the Marine Estate Management Authority. This document has not been endorsed by the NSW Government. 2 Table of Contents BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................. 2 CONTRIBUTORS ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................ 3 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 OVERVIEW OF CURRENT MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS ................................................................................... 5 2 BOUDDI NATIONAL PARK MARINE EXTENSION ....................................................................................... 9 2.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 10 2.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 11 3 BARRENJOEY HEAD AQUATIC RESERVE ................................................................................................. 14 3.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 14 3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 15 3.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 16 4 NARRABEEN HEAD AQUATIC RESERVE .................................................................................................. 18 4.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 18 4.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 19 4.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 20 5 LONG REEF AQUATIC RESERVE .............................................................................................................. 22 5.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 22 5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 23 5.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 25 6 CABBAGE TREE BAY AQUATIC RESERVE ................................................................................................. 28 6.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 28 6.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 29 6.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 30 7 NORTH HARBOUR AQUATIC RESERVE ................................................................................................... 34 7.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 34 7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 35 7.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 37 8 BRONTE-COOGEE AQUATIC RESERVE .................................................................................................... 39 8.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 39 8.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 40 8.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 41 9 CAPE BANKS AQUATIC RESERVE ............................................................................................................ 43 9.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 43 9.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 44 9.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 45 10 TOWRA POINT AQUATIC RESERVE..................................................................................................... 47 10.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 47 3 10.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 48 10.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 49 11 BOAT HARBOUR AQUATIC RESERVE .................................................................................................. 51 11.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 51 11.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 52 11.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 53 12 SHIPROCK AQUATIC RESERVE ............................................................................................................ 55 12.1 SITE DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 55 12.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................................ 56 12.3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ................................................................................................................ 57 13 WYBUNG HEAD