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Jervis Bay Marine Park – new zoning plan

A new zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park started on 1 March 2011.

Changes made to the previous zoning plan were based on new information, community consultation and issues raised in the zoning plan review in 2009, and community consultation on the draft zoning plan in 2010.

The new zoning plan includes several changes to enhance biodiversity conservation in the marine park, as well as improve the representation of habitats in sanctuary zones, sustainable use, and the manageability of zones.

The total proportion of sanctuary zones in the marine park will remain at approximately 20%. The coverage of zones under the old and new zoning plans is shown in the following table:

Zone Zoning plan 2002 to February 2011 New zoning plan from 1 March 2011
Sanctuary 20% 20%
Habitat protection 72% 73%
Special purpose 0.2% 0.2%
General use 8% 6%

The total area of sanctuary zones has increased from approximately 4,200 hectares to 4,300 hectares but key fishing locations have not been included in sanctuary zones to implement these changes compared to proposals in the draft zoning plan. Representation of 'intermediate reef' habitats in sanctuary zones has increased from approximately 8% to 14% of the total known area of this habitat in the marine park.

Information package

The following information provides an overview and further detail on the new zoning plan:

Main changes in the new zoning plan

There are 11 main changes to the previous zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park. The new zoning plan:

  1. replaces the Point Perpendicular–Crocodile Head sanctuary zone with the Beecroft Peninsula sanctuary zone, extending from Crocodile Head to Drum and Drum Sticks. This change improves the representation of intermediate reef habitats (20 to 60 metres deep) in sanctuary zone
  2. incorporates the Drum and Drum Sticks sanctuary zone into the Beecroft Peninsula sanctuary zone. This provides straight-line boundaries for ease of compliance and improves the effectiveness of protection around Drum and Drum Sticks
  3. incorporates the Wreck Bay general use zone into the existing habitat protection zone. This provides straight-line boundaries for ease of compliance and improves the effectiveness of protection in Wreck Bay
  4. removes trawling and lift netting from the marine park
  5. improves boating access to beaches in Hare Bay by designating an anchoring area between Red Point and Hare Point
  6. prohibits spearfishing in Honeymoon Bay to address public safety concerns
  7. simplifies management of purse seine fishing
  8. removes the 10 knot speed restriction on personal watercraft in sanctuary zones. The speed limit has previously led to some conflicts with other users of the marine park. Management of personal watercraft and boating will continue to be undertaken by NSW Maritime, with changes planned for irregular driving in Jervis Bay and also at Hyams Beach, Honeymoon Bay, Moona Moona Creek and near Carama Creek
  9. limits the type and extent of aquaculture in the marine park
  10. improves arrangements for the protection of species by simplifying restrictions and providing additional protection for some species, including Port Jackson sharks, crested horn sharks and all skates and rays in the marine park
  11. improves consistency with fisheries management rules (e.g. bag and size limits), particularly for habitat protection zones.

Community consultation

There was extensive community consultation on the draft zoning plan, which built on previous community consultation in March and April 2008 for the zoning plan review.

The draft zoning plan was publicly available for comment for a period of three months. An information package on the proposed changes to the zoning plan was released on 28 May 2010. Community consultation on the draft zoning plan commenced on 16 June 2010 and concluded on 17 September 2010.

A total of 35 stakeholder meetings and community information days were held during the community consultation period.

A total of 3,064 submissions were received on the draft zoning plan, primarily as on-line submissions.

Common views of the community expressed during consultation included support for an alternative sanctuary zone adjacent to Beecroft Peninsula to improve representation of intermediate reef habitats, general support for the removal of commercial fishing (particularly in relation to trawling) from the marine park, and various alternative proposals for amendments to sanctuary zones, additional sanctuary zones and management of personal watercraft in the marine park.

A summary of consultation and submissions on the draft zoning plan is available for further information.

The Advisory Committee for Jervis Bay Marine Park provided detailed advice on the draft zoning plan to the Marine Parks Authority, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment and Minister for Primary Industries.

Submissions, input from community information days and stakeholder meetings, and advice from the local Advisory Committee were carefully considered and resulted in significant changes to proposals put forward in the draft zoning plan. For example:

  • the Brooks Rock–Moes Rock sanctuary zone proposed in the draft zoning plan has not been implemented, with the Beecroft Peninsula sanctuary zone proposed by the community and stakeholder groups to be implemented instead
  • several boating regulations proposed in the draft zoning plan will be addressed under boating safety laws by NSW Maritime
  • the purse seining area near Bowen Island will not be deleted as proposed in the draft zoning plan.

Thank you for your submissions and involvement in developing the new zoning plan.

Community information days

Date Venue Time
Saturday, 26 February 2011 Shoalhaven Tourist Information Centre, Cnr. Princes Highway and Pleasant Way, Nowra 9am – 12pm
Saturday, 26 February 2011 Jervis Bay Marine Park office, Lot 1, Woollamia Road, Huskisson 1pm – 4pm

The new zoning plan commenced on 1 March 2011 and a range of activities are being conducted to raise awareness of the new plan. In addition to information on this website, guides to the new zoning plan are available, signage is being updated, community information days have been conducted, key stakeholder groups have been contacted and targeted communications have occurred to let people know about the changes.

A voluntary buy-out package of up to $400,000, administered by Industry & Investment NSW, is being made available to commercial fishers directly affected by changes in the new zoning plan. This buy out is aimed at reducing fishing effort that may be displaced due to the zone amendments to ensure that fishing effort is not increased in areas within or adjacent the parks.

The operational plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park will be reviewed and updated to guide implementation of the new zoning plan and to coordinate management activities in the marine park.

More information

Please contact Jervis Bay Marine Park for more information on the new zoning plan.

Background – draft zoning plan information package

The following information package was available for community consultation on the draft zoning plan during 2010:

 

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