What is our goal?
Our goal is a fully protected marine park covering almost 1 million square kilometres of the Coral Sea.
Diver & Turtle - Photo by John RumneyTogether we can make this happen. Just like a national park on land protects everything (the plants, the animals, the whole ecosystem); a fully protected park in the Coral Sea would ensure the survival of all the species and ecosystems in this magnificent area.
We want to do this because?
The Coral Sea is one of the last remaining places on Earth where populations of large ocean fish - sharks, tuna and billfish - have not been drastically reduced. With 90% of large ocean fish gone from the world’s oceans over the last 50 years due to overfishing, this makes the Coral Sea worth protecting.
The Coral Sea has spectacular coral reefs, remote islands, towering underwater mountains and deep-sea canyons. Its abundant wildlife includes whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and rays; seabirds; large ocean fish such as tuna, marlin, barracuda and swordfish and a diverse range of corals and reef fish.
Where is it exactly?
South West Herald Cay, Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve courtesy of Australian CustomsThe proposed Heritage Park lies between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and our maritime boundary with Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. Due to its remoteness from land, the Coral Sea has remained relatively unspoiled.
What have we achieved so far?
In September 2008, a number of groups launched a call for the Coral Sea to be declared a fully protected marine park.
Australia’s leading tropical marine scientists, former Chiefs of the Navy, and national and international conservation groups have come together to ensure the Coral Sea’s importance is recognised.
Marine protection requires big bold decisions
A single fully protected zone is the best approach for protecting pelagic (ocean-going) and migratory species because they cannot be protected inside small reserves.
The Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, has recently recognised the value of the Coral Sea by declaring a Conservation Zone over the entire area. This allows for a full assessment of the conservation values of the area, but the zoning does not change existing uses, and it’s a temporary measure.
We need the government to go further and create the world’s largest permanent marine park.
