Boags Commonwealth Marine Reserve | |
Iucn Category: | VI |
Location: | Bass Strait, Australia |
Coordinates: | -40.23°N 144.99°W |
Coords Ref: | [1] |
Nearest Town: | Stanley, Tasmania |
Area Km2: | 537 |
Governing Body: | Parks Australia (Commonwealth of Australia) |
Url: | http://environment.gov.au/topics/marine/marine-reserves/south-east/boags |
Boags Commonwealth Marine Reserve is a 537 km2 marine protected area within Australian waters located off the coast of north-west Tasmania in Bass Strait. The reserve was established in 2007,[2] and is the smallest reserve of the South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network.
The reserve is a sample of the bottom-dwelling creatures that live in the sea-floor sediments and muds of Bass Strait, such as crustaceans, polychaete worms, and molluscs. It is an important foraging area for a variety of seabirds that nest on the nearby islands, particularly the Hunter Island Group which includes Three Hummock Island.[3]
The entirety of the Boags marine reserve area is IUCN protected area category VI and zoned as 'Multiple Use'.[3]