Marmion Marine Park management Plan - Department of ...

ecreational uses new to the Park will initiate further change. The only factor that has a degree ofcertainty is that change is likely to be rapid.Any particular area in the Park has a finite capacity for use beyond which the area's environmentalstability will decline and the user conflict will increase. When this occurs, one type or level of use mayhave to take precedence. Modification of a site will sometimes lessen environmental impacts andsustain higher levels of use that are more socially acceptable. However, preferred beaches willinevitably become crowded and competition will increase at preferred fishing sites.As levels of use in the Park and adjacent areas increase, the equity of use' is likely to change. Bothmanagement and the community need to be aware that changes will occur and some traditional usesmay change.Recognising the complexity of the area's conservation, recreation, education and commercial values,the Marine Park was declared in 1987 to protect these values. Marmion Marine Park was the first of anumber of marine parks established in the State.The name Marmion has a long-standing, readily identifiable, geographical association with the area.The Marmion Whaling Station, located on land now used as the Sorrento Caravan Park, was one ofthe original developments in the area. Presumably, the suburb Marmion, the Marmion Lagoon andthe Marmion Reefs were named after the Whaling Station. It is an appropriate name for the MarinePark.2.0 VALUESConservation Values• Rich and diverse marine communities that represent a variety of marine habitats.• Invertebrate species of special interest, for example, the cowry shells Cypraea venusta andCypraea friendii .• Habitats for marine mammals, such as Sealions, dolphins and whales.• Seagrass beds in the shallow lagoons that contribute to energy flows in coastal ecosystems andstabilise sandbanks.3