Central Eastern Marine Park Explained

Central Eastern Marine Park
Iucn Category:	IV
Coords:	-30.4037°N 155.05°W
Coords Ref:	^[1]
Location:	Australia
Area Km2:	70,054
Established:	1 July 2018
Operator:	Parks Australia
Website:	https://parksaustralia.gov.au/marine/parks/temperate-east

The Central Eastern Marine Park (formerly known as the Central Eastern Commonwealth Marine Reserve) is an Australian marine park that extends from the edge of the continental shelf, offshore of New South Wales and 30km (20miles) from Coffs Harbour, to about 200km (100miles) offshore into deep ocean waters. It incorporates the waters above most of the southern portion of the Tasmantid Seamount Chain. The marine park covers an area of 70054km2 and is assigned IUCN category IV. It is one of 8 parks managed under the Temperate East Marine Parks Network.^[2]

Conservation values

Species and habitat

• Biologically important areas for the protected humpback whale, vulnerable white shark and a number of migratory seabirds.
• Represents seafloor features including: abyssal plain/deep ocean floor, canyon, pinnacle, slope, knoll/abyssal-hills/hills/mountains/peak, and seamount/guyot.^[3]

Bioregions and ecology

• Examples of the ecosystems of the Central Eastern Province, Central Eastern Shelf Transition, and Tasman Basin Province provincial bioregions and the Tweed-Moreton meso-scale bioregion.
• Canyons on the eastern continental slope (part of one of three shelf-incising canyons occurring in the region is represented).
• Tasmantid Seamount Chain (known breeding and feeding areas for a number of open ocean species such as billfish and marine mammals).^[3]

History

The marine park was proclaimed under the EPBC Act on 14 December 2013 and renamed Central Eastern Marine Park on 9 October 2017.^[2] The management plan and protection measures of the marine park came into effect for the first time on 1 July 2018.

Summary of protection zones

The Central Eastern Marine Park has been assigned IUCN protected area category IV. However, within the marine park there are three protection zones, each zone has an IUCN category and related rules for managing activities to ensure the protection of marine habitats and species.^[2]

The following table is a summary of the zoning rules within the Central Eastern Marine Park:^[2]

Zone	IUCN	Activities permitted						Total area (km^2)
		Vessel transiting	Recreational fishing	Commercial fishing	Commercial aquaculture	Commercial tourism	Mining
National Park	II							8,110
Habitat Protection	IV							61,336
Multiple Use	VI							608
External link: Zoning and rules for the Temperate East Marine Parks Network

See also

• Protected areas managed by the Australian government

External links

• Temperate East Marine Parks Network - Parks Australia
• Temperate East Marine Parks Network - environment.gov.au (outdated)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Way: Central Eastern Marine Park (604614728) . OpenStreetMap . August 16, 2018.
2. Web site: Temperate East Marine Parks Network Management Plan 2018 . August 16, 2018 . Parks Australia.
3. Web site: Central Eastern Commonwealth Marine Reserve . environment.gov.au . 16 August 2018 . © Commonwealth of Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU) .