Consultation and management
THE INFORMATION ON THIS WEBPAGE MAY BE OUT OF DATE AND WILL BE UPDATED.
Consultation
Cape Byron Marine Park Advisory Committee
Name |
Representing |
|---|---|
Clr Sharon Cadwallader |
Ballina Shire Council |
Dr Tim Hochgrebe |
Scuba divers |
Mr Paul Johnstone |
Recreational fishers |
Mr Serge Killingbeck |
Marine conservation |
Mr Bruce Lewis |
Other (community) |
Dr David Lloyd |
Marine science (Chair) |
Ms Theresa Nichols |
Aboriginal people |
Mr Antonio Puglisi |
Commercial fishers (Alternate Chair) |
Mr James Robinson-Gale |
Tourism industry |
Clr Tom Tabart |
Byron Shire Council |
CBMPAC Meetings
75 kb 73 kbWider consultation
The MPA holds local public meetings on important issues relating to Cape Byron Marine Park and conducts public surveys from time to time. Both are advertised in the media.
The Cape Byron Marine Park has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bundjalung People of Byron Bay (Arakwal) to establish the mechanism for their involvement in the management of the Cape Byron Marine Park ("the Marine Park") and to establish the principles for communication between the MPA and the Bundjalung People of Byron Bay (Arakwal).
Members of the public are welcome to contact the marine park office.
Management
The zoning plan
The Cape Byron Marine Park Zoning Plan aims to protect habitats and the animals and plants they support to ensure conservation of the marine environment. It creates the following zones:- sanctuary or ‘no-take’ zones of approximately 27.5% of the total park area that provide the highest level of protection. All forms of fishing, collecting and anchoring on reefs are prohibited. Activities such as swimming, diving, surfing and boating are permitted
- habitat protection zones (18.7%) that allow recreational fishing and some forms of commercial fishing but not trawling. A species list and some additional restrictions apply to fishers in these zones
- general use zones (53.3%) that allow many activities including recreational and commercial fishing
- special purpose zones (0.2%) allowing for special activities, traditional uses and rehabilitation.
For more information see the Cape Byron Marine Park zoning plan user guide - 2.1 Mb.
Note: Percentages for zones may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
The operational plan
The Marine Parks Authority has developed an operational plan for the marine park with input from the Cape Byron Marine Park Advisory Committee. The operational plan outlines how the Authority will manage the marine park in a sustainable way to meet the objectives of the Marine Parks Act 1997.
The operational plan explains the role and priorities of the Marine Parks Authority and other organisations in the management of the marine park including threats to its natural, cultural and economic values. Management actions have been organised under the following strategies to deliver on the key marine park objectives.
- Identification and adaptive management of threats to marine biodiversity and habitats
- Protection of threatened species and endangered ecological communities
- Assessing developments in and affecting the marine park to minimise impacts
- Maximising voluntary compliance with the marine park zoning plan
- Ecologically sustainable management of commercial activities
- Delivering an ecological, social, cultural and economic research and monitoring program
- Promotion of sustainable tourism and recreational uses
- Ensuring management is consistent with the cultural aspirations of Aboriginal people
For more information see the Cape Byron Marine Park Operational Plan