Marine protected areas for whales, dolphins, and porpoises: a world ...

Habitat Protection for Cetaceans around the World 431
Notes and rationale For more information
• MPA from coast to pelagic, state and federal management, adjoins • Environment Australia,
land-based Cape Range National Park; about half state and half 2002c; Preen et al, 1995
Commonwealth waters. • Contact: WDCS –
• Designated as a Commonwealth marine park in 1987, Ningaloo’s Australasia;
large fringing reef, located close to land, is the main rationale for email: info@wdcs.org.au;
protection, but cetaeans are considered a major feature of the park, web: www.wdcs.org.au
especially during the humpback whale migration. • Ningaloo Marine Park;
• Ningaloo Marine Park has three types of management zones: web: www.ea.gov.au/
sanctuary zones (to provide special protection areas for wildlife; coasts/mpa/ningaloo/
visitors can watch but not fish or collect anything), recreation zones index.html
(recreation consistent with conservation and with fishing allowed);
and general use zones (allowing commercial fishing and
recreational use); mostly IUCN Category II. Commonwealth waters
are managed as Category II for ecosystem conservation and
recreation.
• Industries in the area include commercial fishing (trawling), sport
fishing, resort development (leading to degradation of the reef),
marine tourism, diving, mining, petroleum exploration (leases);
key threat is the Drupella snail impact on the reef.
• In July 2004, the WA government announced a Aus$5 million
research programme into the reef and a draft plan to extend the
state portion of the park by 147 mi2 (380 km3 ), mainly as sanctuary
zones. There is a growing campaign for World Heritage listing of the
area which would include Exmouth Gulf and preclude petroleum
leases.
• Recognized as a blue whale feeding area in 1998. Specific areas • Gill, 2002
within the upwelling are being considered for inclusion in the • Contact: WDCS –
NRSMPA via multiple-use MPAs, potentially with some highly Australasia;
protected IUCN Category I areas. Area is also being considered email: info@wdcs.org.au;
for naming as a new ‘Marine Park’ and is to be the subject of a web: www.wdcs.org.au
regional marine planning process (the Otway Multiple Use • Peter Gill;
Management Model) under Australia’s Oceans Policy. WDCS is email:
trying to facilitate an agreement-based process with industry in the pcgill@ozemail.com.au
region with a view to protecting the endangered blue whales who
feed in the area Dec–May.
• Rationale for protection is that this massive upwelling provides a
key seasonal feeding site for endangered blue whales, as well as
other cetaceans.
• The main potential industrial conflicts in the area stem from gas
exploration and drilling, shipping and fishing.
• There are whale watch operations in and around the park with • Contact: Moreton Bay
regulations relating to use of ‘personal water craft’, to minimize Marine Park;
harassment. Five zones, equivalent to IUCN Category I–VI, include web: www.epa.qld.gov.au/
a small no-take area, but 89 per cent of the park is IUCN Category parks_and_forests/
IV and open to general use. The zoning plan, which is an Act of marine_parks/moreton_bay/
Parliament, includes the requirement for the authorities to consider • WDCS – Australasia;
cumulative impacts when giving permission for use. email: info@wdcs.org.au;
• More specific cetacean habitat protection needed; should be based web: www.wdcs.org.au
on research into distribution and habitat needs in the park.