Overview of the zoning plan Jervis Bay Marine Park
- Jervis Bay Habitat Protection Zone
- Key map. Zoning scheme of the Jervis Bay Marine Park (Map 1)
- Foreword
- Summary
- Introduction
- The zoning plan
- Activities permitted in protective zoning
- Location of the zones within the Jervis Bay Marine Park
- Regulation of specific activities
- Species protection
Summary
Jervis Bay Marine Park is approximately 180km south of Sydney and 20km south east of Nowra, in the Batemans marine bioregion. The marine park covers an area of approximately 22,000 hectares and spans over 100km of coastline and adjacent ocean, extending from Kinghorn Point in the north to Sussex Inlet in the south and including most of Jervis Bay (see Key Map).
The marine park is a multiple-use park that aims to conserve marine biological diversity and marine habitats, while catering for a broad range of recreational and commercial activities.
Popular activities undertaken within the park include commercial and recreational fishing, scuba diving, whale and dolphin watching, research, boating, surfing and other beach activities. Indigenous people have had strong ties to the land and sea in and around Jervis Bay for thousands of years and many significant cultural and spiritual sites are located within or adjacent to the marine park.
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has been associated with Jervis Bay for almost 90 years and uses Jervis Bay for a variety of training activities. Defence services are exempt from any restrictions imposed by the NSW marine parks legislation, however co-operative management strategies are in place through a agreement between the NSW Marine Parks Authority and the Commonwealth Department of Defence.
The new zoning plan commences on 1 October 2002.
It achieves approximately:
- 20 per cent (4,253 hectares) as sanctuary zones
These are areas of the marine park considered representative of each habitat type, highest in biological diversity, significant to maintaining ecological processes, key sites for threatened or other significant species, or sites that contain important natural and cultural features.This zone type provides for the highest level of environmental protection and prohibits all fishing and collecting activities or activities that damage habitat.
- 72 per cent (15,600 hectares) as habitat protection zones
These are additional areas considered representative of each habitat type, high in biological diversity, important to maintaining ecological processes, key sites for threatened or other significant species, or sites that contain important natural and cultural features.This zone type provides for a high level of environmental protection and prohibits high impact activities such as fish and prawn trawling, whilst allowing many other activities including recreational fishing.
All estuarine systems are protected within sanctuary or habitat protection zones. Substantial areas of the other major habitat types are also incorporated within habitat protection zones, within Jervis Bay and in inshore areas generally out to the marine park boundary.
- 0.2 per cent (48 hectares) as special purpose zones
These are areas considered to have special management requirements due to existing infrastructure. The two areas are Huskisson wharves, and the naval training facilities at HMAS Creswell.
- 8 per cent (1,618 hectares) as general use zones
All areas within the marine park not subject to other forms of zoning.This zone type provides a level of environmental protection whilst allowing for a wider range of commercial and recreational activities. There are two areas of general use zoning, both outside the bay, in the northern and southern areas of the marine park.