What are Australian Marine Parks?
Australian Marine Parks are protected ocean areas in Commonwealth waters, managed by Parks Australia. They range from coral seas to the Southern Ocean and protect reefs, seamounts and wildlife.
Australia has one of the largest marine estates in the world. Commonwealth waters generally begin three nautical miles from the coast and extend to 200 nautical miles, while state governments manage waters closer to shore.
The national network includes dozens of marine parks grouped into regions, such as the Coral Sea, South-west, North-west and Temperate East. Each park uses zoning, with some areas closed to fishing and others open to limited uses.
Why they matter
Marine parks protect habitats for whales, dugongs, turtles, sharks and seabirds, as well as deep-sea corals and unusual species found nowhere else. They also help fish stocks recover, which benefits fisheries outside the parks.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is managed separately by its own authority. States run their own parks too, such as Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia.
Parks Australia monitors the parks and works with Traditional Owners, fishers and scientists.
Did You Know?
Some of Australia's marine parks protect underwater mountains, called seamounts, that rise thousands of metres from the sea floor.