Frequently asked questions
What is the proposed South Coast Marine Park and why has it been created?
The SCMP is the first significant state marine reserve on the South Coast of Western Australia, stretching more than 1000km from Bremer Bay to the South Australian Border and covering fragile and significant coastal, estuarine and marine waters. It is a significant conservation initiative that aims to protect the region's unique marine biodiversity and cultural heritage, while supporting sustainable use and community access.
How will the marine park protect the fauna of the region, such as whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds?
The SCMP is the missing piece needed to preserve Western Australia’s fragile and unique South Coast marine environment. It will provide protective corridors for species, connecting existing fragmentary reserves established by the Commonwealth as national parks and protection zones.
The marine park will allow a range of activities in clearly defined zones, that allow recreational fishing to continue in 78% of the park area, enabling commercial fishing across 75% and encouraging sustainable tourism, while still protecting highly biodiverse and fragile areas to enable species recovery.
No-take areas will cover 25% of the park area, with areas focused on important habitats and breeding areas for whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds.
What is the scientific argument for no-take zones in the marine park?
Scientific studies of no-take zones in marine parks around the world demonstrate that having zones where fishing, mining, and other significant industries are restricted can enhance biodiversity, productivity, and resilience of marine ecosystems.
In fact, no-take zones can deliver benefits for fisheries, by increasing the abundance and size of fish, and creating spill over effects into adjacent areas.
Australian research recently conducted by Monash University has found one hectare of ocean in which fishing is not allowed produces at least five times the amount of fish as an equivalent unprotected hectare.[1]
Fish in no-take areas grow on average 25% larger and can produce as many as three times the offspring as fish in other waters.[2]
The dispersal of no-take zones across the SCMP allows the preservation of the most critical and fragile area while ensuring the future of fishing for years to come.
What are the opportunities offered by the South Coast Marine Park?
Marine parks safeguard the values that support nature-based recreation and tourism, by protecting flora and fauna and reducing the interaction with extractive and heavy industry.
By allowing different kinds of commercial uses beyond industrial-scale fishing, they deliver diverse opportunities for local communities.
The SCMP will support sustainable tourism and elevate the profile of communities from Bremmer Bay to Esperance.
The creation of the park aligns with work already being done by local governments across the region, as they seek to ensure the South Coast attracts national and international eco-tourism.
For Traditional Owner groups, there are enormous opportunities that stem from being able to manage land and sea, following a tradition of custodianship for Country that spans thousands of years.
For the communities of Esperance, Albany and other coastal towns, certainty regarding the SCMP will help guide economic planning, while attracting much-needed scientific and research funding to better understand the changing marine and coastal environment.
All stakeholders recognise that a deeper understanding of the South Coast can only benefit the protection and preservation of our communities, coast and way of life.
How has the community been consulted on the proposed marine park?
It was 30 years ago that Wilson Report made recommendations for a range of pristine and ecologically valuable areas along Western Australia’s South Coast be included in marine reserves.
In the early 2000s, further investigation was made and a strategic framework for protection was developed.
It wasn’t until 2019, however, that the State Government announced Plan for Our Parks — a whole of government initiative to create five million hectares of new national parks, marine parks, and other conservation reserves by 2024.
This initiative included a marine park on the South Coast, which is has only one small state reserve that doesn’t enter coastal waters.
Between July 2019 and March 2020, DBCA held meetings, focus groups and community forums on the South Coast with native title holders and local key stakeholders, but COVID interrupted face-to-face consultation for some time.
By the end of 2021, a Community Reference Committee was appointed to reflect the interests of commercial and recreational fishers, tourism, community members and environmental advocates, and discussions have continued with DBCA and Traditional Owners in the years since.
The release of the draft management plan on February 16 marks the start of a four-month public consultation period.
[1] https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.2075
[2] https://theconversation.com/no-take-marine-areas-help-fishers-and-fish-far-more-than-we-thought-119659