Port Stephens-Great Lakes and Batemans Marine Park - Recreational and commercial activities
The Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park Zoning Plan aims to conserve biodiversity while allowing sustainable recreational and commercial activities. The summary below shows the activities permitted in general use, habitat protection and sanctuary zones.
It’s best to use the summary in conjunction with a printout of the Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park zoning plan map (high resolution) 
3.1 Mb and the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park User Guide which is available from the marine park office.
If you are interested in an activity requiring a permit, print out the permit application and fax/post the completed form to the marine park.
- Application and indemnity forms for a permit to conduct commercial activity within a Marine Park - 41 Kb
Park activity summary
= permitted, 
= prohibited, , P=permit required, * = additional restrictions, special conditions are shown (a) to (j)
Activity |
General use zones |
Habitat protection zones |
Sanctuary zones |
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial fishing (a) |
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Fish & prawn trawl |
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Beach haul, purse seine, lift net |
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Line |
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Fish & lobster trap |
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Hand gathering |
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Longline, setline, dropline |
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Estuary prawn net |
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Estuary mesh & haul net |
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Crab & eel trap |
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Recreational fishing (a) * |
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Line fishing |
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Trapping |
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Spearfishing |
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Netting (scissor, handhauled, scoop, landing, hoop) |
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Collecting (a) |
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Recreational (shells) |
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(f) |
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Scientific/educational |
P |
P |
P |
Private/commercial aquariums |
P |
P * |
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Seaweed collection |
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Commercial tourism |
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Tours (non-extractive) |
P |
P |
P |
Charter fishing |
P |
P * (a) |
|
Recreational activities (non-extractive) |
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Boating |
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Scuba diving, snorkeling |
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Motorised water sports |
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Hovercraft, aircraft, seaplane |
P |
P |
P |
Domesticated animals |
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Other activities |
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Aquaculture |
|
P (a) |
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Line/spearfishing competitions |
P |
P * |
|
Other competitions (non-extractive) |
P |
P |
P |
Organised sports/other activity |
P |
P |
P |
Research |
P |
P |
P |
Anchoring |
|
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Traditional Indigenous fishing |
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|
P |
Special conditions for commercial and recreational activities
(a) Requires licence/lease under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 & subject to zoning plan provisions
(b) Fish & prawn trawling not permitted in estuaries, lakes & rivers
(c) Permitted only at designated locations
(d) Permitted only in Smiths Lake & Myall River Camp habitat protection zones
(e) Bombah Broadwater annual seasonal commercial netting closure 1 May – 31 Aug inclusive
(f) Daily limit 5 shells of any one species & 20 litres of seaweed. No collecting at Little Beach, Dutchmans Beach or Cabbage Tree Island habitat protection zones
(g) Restrictions apply in grey nurse shark critical habitats
(h) Permitted in Smiths Lake & Boolambayte Lake sanctuary zones & by permit
(i) Subject to restriction
(j) Not permissible on seagrass in sanctuary zones
Additional restrictions for habitat protection zones as indicated by * in table
- Line fishing only at Little Beach habitat protection zone.
- No collecting in Dutchmans Beach habitat protection zone.
- Cabbage Tree Island habitat protection zone restricted to taking of yellowtail, scad, slimy mackerel & garfish only.
- No fishing with bait in hatched habitat protection zones of Broughton Island, Sawtooth & Edith Breakers.
- No fishing from anchored vessels in Broughton Island & Sawtooth cross-hatched habitat protection zones.
- Recreational trolling only permitted in stippled Open Ocean restricted habitat protection zone from 1 Dec – 31 March inclusive each year. No fishing from anchored or drifting vessels (trolling only) and no fishing permitted outside specified timeframe.