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2. Cape Byron Marine park
3. Recreational & commercial activities

Cape Byron Marine Park - recreational and commercial activities

The Cape Byron Marine Park Zoning Plan aims to conserve marine biodiversity while allowing sustainable recreational and commercial activities. The summary below shows the activities permitted in general use, habitat protection and sanctuary zones.

• Zoning Map 1.4 Mb

Park activity summary

Note:= permitted, = prohibited, P=permit required. Special conditions are indicated by (a) to (i).

Activity	General use zones	Habitat protection zones	Sanctuary zones
Commercial fishing
Line fishing		(a)
Spanner crab netting		(b)
Lift netting for bait (non-saleable only)		(b)
Fish trapping		(b)
Lobster tapping		(b)
Eel/crab trapping		(c)
Hand gathering (pipis & beachworms)		(d)
Beach hauling		(e)
Prawn hauling
Purse seine netting
Setline/dropline, longlining
Estuary mesh netting
Recreational fishing
Line fishing		(a)
Trapping		(b)
Spearfishing		(f)
Netting		(g)
Collecting
Recreational (bait/food)		(b)
Scientific/educational	P	P	P
For private aquariums	P	P
For commercial aquariums
Commercial tourism
Commercial tour operators (non-extractive)	P (h)	P (h)	P
Charter fishing	P	P
Recreational boating, scuba diving / snorkelling
Recreational boating
Recreational scuba diving/snorkelling
Anchoring			(h)
Personal watercraft & hovercraft	P (h)	P (h)	P (h)
Other activities
Aquaculture	(i)	(i)
Organised events	P	P	P
Research	P	P	P

 

• For more information see the Cape Byron Marine Park Zoning Plan Users Guide - 2 Mb.
• Defences for possession of fishing equipment in marine park sanctuary zones 120 Kb

Special conditions for commercial and recreational activities

Activities permitted in each zone and restrictions governing their undertaking are listed in the table above. Other regulations on some activities and for species protection also apply under the zoning plan. Provisions under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (such as bag limits and size limits for fish), the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (such as approach distances to whales and dolphins), and other legislation continue to apply in addition to the zoning plan.

Note: Commercial and recreational vessels may transit a sanctuary zone. If fishing gear is on board it must not be in use or capable of use.

(a) Additional restrictions apply at Mackerel Boulder (see descriptive text for point 7 on the map) and at Wilsons Reef and Bait Reef habitat protection zones (see Table 2).
(b) Activities are not permitted in the Mackerel Boulder, Wilsons Reef and Bait Reef or Lennox Head Boulder Foreshore habitat protection zones.
(c) Commercial and recreational eel and crabbing is not permitted in Marshalls Creek or Simpsons Creek.
(d) Hand gathering is permitted only in the Grays Lane and Seven Mile Beach habitat protection zones.
(e) Beach hauling is permitted only on Seven Mile Beach (applicable to haul, garfish, pilchard, anchovy and bait nets) from Byron St at Lennox Head, north to Jews Point.
(f) Spearfishing is not permitted in the following habitat protection zones: Brunswick River (including Simpsons and Marshalls creeks); Belongil Beach, Main Beach and Clarkes Beach; and Lennox Head Boulder Foreshore. Under the provisions of the Fisheries Management Act 1994, spearfishing is not permitted adjacent to an ocean beach at a distance greater than 20m from a headland. All fishing is restricted in the Mackerel Boulder and Wilsons Reef and Bait Reef habitat protection zones.
(g) Scoop, landing, hoop (lift) or scissor (push) nets are the only recreational net types permitted for the taking of prawns or crabs within habitat protection zones.
(h) Restrictions apply – see over.
(i) Intensive aquaculture is not permitted in the Marine Park.