Lord Howe Marine Park

The Lord Howe Marine Park (formerly known as the Lord Howe Commonwealth Marine Reserve) is an Australian marine park located about 550 km (340 mi) offshore of New South Wales, near Lord Howe Island. The marine park covers an area of 110,126 km2 (42,520 sq mi), encompassing the smaller Lord Howe Island Marine Park, and is assigned IUCN category IV. It is one of 8 parks managed under the Temperate East Marine Parks Network.[3]

Lord Howe Marine Park
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Map showing the Lord Howe Marine Park. The shaded areas are National Park Zones ('no take' zones).[1]
LocationAustralia
Coordinates32.059°S 159.056°E / -32.059; 159.056[2]
Area110,126 km2 (42,520 sq mi)
Established1 July 2018
OperatorParks Australia
Websitehttps://parksaustralia.gov.au/marine/parks/temperate-east

Conservation values

Species and habitat
  • Biologically important areas for protected humpback whales and a number of migratory seabirds.
  • A major seabird breeding area, with 14 species found on the islands including masked boobys, grey ternlets, red-tailed tropicbirds, black-winged petrels and Kermadec petrels
  • Key location for black cod
  • Due to the convergence of warmer northern tropical and cooler southern temperate waters in the area, many species found in the reserve are at the northern or southern extent of their range.[4]

Bioregions and ecology
  • Examples of the ecosystems of the Lord Howe Province and the Tasman Basin Province provincial bioregion.
  • Represents seafloor features including: basin, plateau, saddle, seamount/guyot and deep ocean valley
  • Lord Howe seamount chain, Elizabeth Reef, Middleton Reef and the Tasman Front and eddy field (areas of high productivity; aggregations of marine life; biodiversity and endemism).[4]

History

The marine park was proclaimed under the EPBC Act on 14 December 2013 and renamed Lord Howe Marine Park on 9 October 2017.[3] The management plan and protection measures of the marine park came into effect for the first time on 1 July 2018.

Former reserves

The Lord Howe Marine Park includes areas of the former Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth waters) (proclaimed 2000) and Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve (proclaimed 1987).[3]

Summary of protection zones

The Lord Howe Marine Park has been assigned IUCN protected area category IV. However, within the marine park there are five protection zones, each zone has an IUCN category and related rules for managing activities to ensure the protection of marine habitats and species.[3]

The following table is a summary of the zoning rules within the Lord Howe Marine Park:[3]

Zone IUCN Activities permitted Total area
(km2)
Vessel transiting Recreational fishing Commercial fishing Commercial aquaculture Commercial tourism Mining
National Park II Yes No No No excludes fishing, with approval No 9,273
Recreational Use II Yes Yes No No excludes fishing, with approval No 1,170
Habitat Protection (Lord Howe) IV Yes Yes dropline and minorline only, with approval No with approval No 5,136
Habitat Protection IV Yes Yes most, with approval with approval with approval No 54,884
Multiple Use VI Yes Yes most, with approval with approval with approval with approval 39,662
External link: Zoning and rules for the Temperate East Marine Parks Network
gollark: Or free legal internet resources if you like I guess.
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See also
  • Protected areas managed by the Australian government

References
  1. Map data: Sanctuary IUCN Ia and National Park IUCN II zones ('no take' zones) from Australian Marine Parks, (2018) Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy. CC BY 4.0. http://www.environment.gov.au/fed/catalog/search/resource/details.page?uuid=%7BCD8877F3-8C39-4A20-A53F-070FBEE5AF3C%7D
  2. "Relation: Lord Howe Marine Park (8425530)". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  3. "Temperate East Marine Parks Network Management Plan 2018" (PDF). Parks Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  4. "Lord Howe Commonwealth Marine Reserve". environment.gov.au. © Commonwealth of Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
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