Moreton Bay Marine Park

The Moreton Bay Marine Park was established in 1992 to protect ecologically significant habitats in Moreton Bay.[2] The marine park extends from Caloundra south to the southern tip of South Stradbroke Island.[3] The marine park's border extends up to the highest tidal mark and covers a total of 3,400 km2.[4]

Moreton Bay Marine Park
Queensland
Aerial photo of Mud Island, 2009
The coastline at Point Lookout is zoned as a conservation park
Moreton Bay Marine Park
Nearest town or cityBrisbane
Coordinates27°25′48″S 153°23′47″E
Established1992
Area3,400 km2 (1,312.7 sq mi)
RegionSouth East Queensland
Managing authoritiesQueensland Parks and Wildlife Service[1]
WebsiteMoreton Bay Marine Park

The marine park provides protection to sensitive reef sites near Tangalooma and Flinders Reef. It includes waterways such as Coombabah Lake, mangrove forests, swamps, marshes, tidal mudflats, sandflats and seagrass beds.[5] It is a temporary home to migrating shorebirds that inhabit wetlands.[2] Dugongs, whales and turtles swim in the waters of the bay.[5]

The marine park is managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.[1] In 1971, a total of 18 countries signed a Convention on Wetlands of International Significance. It was signed in Ramsar, a city in Iran, and came to be known as the Ramsar Convention, which aimed at stopping global loss of wetlands, and conservation and sustainable management of the remaining wetlands. Moreton Bay is among Australia's largest sites which is listed under the Ramsar Convention.[6]

Marine Park Zoning Plan

From 1 March 2009, activities in the marine park are designated under the Marine Park Zoning Plan. 16% of the bay is protected in green zones or marine national park zones.[7] This leaves 84% of the marine park available to anglers. The marine national park zones are classed as (IUCN Category II) while the remainder is classed as IUCN Category VI.[8]

The Queensland Government has spent AU2$ million to create three artificial reefs within the marine park.[9] A free user guide is widely available in bait and boat shops in the region as well as online.[10]

Zones
Kangaroo Island and Tipplers Passage near Jacobs Well, 2014

There are four zones in Moreton Bay Marine Park.[4] These are the Marine national park zone (green) which contain areas of high conservation value, Conservation park zone (yellow) allowing limited fishing and crabbing, Habitat protection (dark blue) zone for sensitive habitats with no trawling allowed and General use zone (light blue) allow activities such as trawling.[4] The zones are patrolled by rangers. Fines of up to A$500 for fishing in the green zone have been issued.[11]

Designated areas

There are nine types of designated areas in the marine park.[4] These areas have been set aside so that specific issues that occur at specific locations can be properly managed. Examples of designated areas include Go slow areas to protect dugongs and turtles, No anchoring areas to protect sensitive reefs and Grey nurse shark areas designed to conserve the endangered shark species.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Managing marine parks". Marine parks. Queensland Government. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  2. Reid, Greg (2004). Australia's National and Marine Parks: Queensland. South Yarra, Victoria: Macmillan Education Australia. p. 7. ISBN 0-7329-9053-X.
  3. Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing. "Moreton Bay Marine Park Zoning and Designated Areas Map" (pdf). The State of Queensland. Retrieved 12 June 2014.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing (12 June 2014). "Moreton Bay Marine Park". The State of Queensland. Retrieved 5 January 2010.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing (12 June 2014). "Moreton Bay Marine Park – Nature, culture and history". The State of Queensland. Retrieved 6 January 2010.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Nature, culture and history". Parks and Forests Queensland Government.
  7. Leah Fineran (19 July 2009). "Big fines for anglers in green zone". goldcoast.com.au. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  8. "Queensland – Marine Protected Areas by Type (2016) (please refer 'Detailed list' tab)". CAPAD 2016. The Department of Environment and Energy. 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  9. Andrew McNamara (16 December 2008). "Work begins on Moreton Bay's artificial reefs". Outdoors Queensland. Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  10. Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing. "Moreton Bay Marine Park User Guides". The State of Queensland. Retrieved 12 June 2014.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. "Crackdown on Moreton Bay green zones". ABC News. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
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