Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) Information for visitors TWMC001.0509 Z00 38352 Disclaimer: The contents of this document have been compiled using a range of source materials. While reasonable care has been taken in its compilation, the Australian Government shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of or reliance on the contents of the document. © Commonwealth of Australia 2009 Information contained in this publication may be copied or reproduced for study, research, information or educational purposes, subject to inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source. Community Information Unit (CIU) Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts GPO Box 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601 Email: Contents 1 About this document 1 2 Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) description and values 3 2.1 Location and characteristics 3 2.2 Environmental values 5 2.3 Cultural heritage values 9 2.4 Economic values 9 2.5 Social values 9 2.6 Ningaloo Reef 9 3 How is Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) managed? 10 3.1 Strategic objectives 11 3.2 Legislative context 11 3.2.1 Proclamation of the reserve 11 3.2.2 IUCN category 11 3.2.3 EPBC Act and Regulations 11 3.2.4 Director of National Parks 12 3.3 Protecting the reserve’s values 12 4 Information for visitors and reserve users 14 4.1 General information for everyone visiting the reserve 14 4.2 Recreational fishers 18 4.3 Commercial tourism operators 20 4.4 Commercial photographers/filmmakers 27 4.5 Scientific researchers 34 5 Compliance and enforcement 41 5.1 Rules and Regulations 41 5.2 Principles of compliance and enforcement 43 5.3 What are the penalties for non-compliance? 44 5.4 How do I recognise a compliance officer? 45 6 Future management and reporting 46 6.1 Performance assessment and reporting 46 6.2 Marine bioregional planning 46 6.3 Developing the next management plan 47 7 Contacts and further information 48 i Interpretation (including acronyms) Australian Government means the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia Commonwealth reserve means a reserve established and managed under Division 4 of Part 15 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Department means the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Director means the Director of National Parks under section 514A of the EPBC Act EPBC Act means the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 EPBC Regulations means the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 IUCN refers to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (also known as the World Conservation Union) Minister means the Australian Government Minister administering the EPBC Act MPA means Marine Protected Area NPWC Act means the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975 Reserve refers to the Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) Ningaloo Marine Park refers to the state and Commonwealth waters collectively WA means Western Australia WA DEC means the Western Australian Government Department of Environment and Conservation WA DoF means the Western Australian Government Department of Fisheries ii | Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) – Information for Visitors 1 About this document This document is not a legal instrument and is for information only. It describes the management arrangements for Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) (the reserve) and provides advice on how visitors, and other users of the reserve, should meet their obligations under the reserve’s management arrangements. Visitors to the reserve will require authorisation from the Director of National Parks for certain activities. The arrangements arise from the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and its regulations and are consistent with the second management plan for the reserve (expiry date: 2 July 2009). The arrangements outlined in this document will remain in place until the development of a new management plan at the conclusion of the marine bioregional planning process for the north-west region. Stakeholders will be consulted in the development of the new management plan. Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) Interim management arrangements commenced (the reserve) was declared by the Australian on 3 July 2009 and will conclude when the Government on 7 May 1987 by proclamation under new management plan for the representative the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act marine reserve system in the north-west region 1975 (NPWC Act) for the purposes of conservation, is finalised. These arrangements provide for protection of marine wildlife and habitats, the management of some activities using recreation, education, scientific research and authorisations (approvals or permits) issued by to create a buffer zone for the state component the Director of National Parks under the EPBC of Ningaloo Marine Park. The reserve has since Act or EPBC Regulations. Authorisation allows been extended twice (in July 1992 and April identified activities to occur that would otherwise 2004), to include two areas that were formerly be prohibited in the reserve. These include the subject of petroleum exploration permits. The commercial activities and those affecting native state component of Ningaloo Marine Park was species. Information on the authorisation process also extended in 2004 to include the whole of is included in Part 4 – Information for visitors and Ningaloo Reef. The reserve is now managed as a reserve users. This document describes the values Commonwealth reserve under the Environment of the reserve, the management arrangements Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and how the reserve’s values will continue to (EPBC Act). be protected. 1 The development of a new management plan is being scheduled to coincide with other Australian Government processes requiring extensive stakeholder consultation. The Australian Government is undertaking marine bioregional planning around Australia (see Part 6.2 – Marine bioregional planning), a process that involves the identification of new Commonwealth reserves in each region, including the north-west marine region in which the reserve is located. Development of the next management plan for the reserve will be prepared in line with the declaration of all Commonwealth reserves in the north-west region to minimise impositions on stakeholders, maximise efficiencies and ensure consistency in management of the new network of reserves. Stakeholders will be sought during the marine bioregional planning process and in development of the next management plan for the reserve. Information on these processes is available at: www.environment.gov.au/coasts. 2 | Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) – Information for Visitors 2 Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) description and values with many species at the limit of their distribution. 2.1 Location and Ningaloo Marine Park includes many elements of characteristics this important bio-geographic boundary. Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) The map overleaf shows the location and (the reserve) stretches approximately 300km along boundaries of both the Commonwealth and the west coast of the Cape Range Peninsula near state components of Ningaloo Marine Park. Exmouth, Western Australia (WA) approximately Further information can be found at: 1200km north of Perth (see map). The total area of www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mpa/ the reserve is 2435km2. Ningaloo Reef, the longest ningaloo/index.html. fringing barrier reef in Australia, and the only example in the world of extensive fringing coral reef on the west coast of a continent, is adjacent Regional map to the reserve and is protected by the Ningaloo Marine Park (state waters) which lies between the reserve and the WA coast. Ningaloo Marine Park AUSTRALIA (Commonwealth and state waters) covers a total IONCDEIAANN !Exmouth area of 5070km2. The reserve’s water depths range from a relatively shallow 30m to oceanic waters over 500m deep. !Carnarvon Ningaloo Marine Park A key feature of the reserve is the rapid increases (Commonwealth Waters) in depth, particularly in the reserve’s northern area. W E ASUTSETRRNA LIA The reserve is located in a transition zone between tropical and temperate waters and sustains Houtman Abrolhos !Geraldton tropical and temperate plants and animals, !Perth Location of Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) Zoning R Liemcirte oaft Aiounsatlr aUlisaen ZEoEnZe (IUCN ll) AGDMAG ToBueapspSorotiasn r:garce tPrilim ieaaPonpenrpchon uGeitcle ao AcDtvfteu eatdshdrtt aner PAam lElarieaeancna ve(tsi21s rD o 09M(n09a1am68t9an)9e :aS1 nATg)ot Oue,AuWsdPrut carObsaetye-rlsi 2arD:,.ln i5EaH MMWeraHitraiAtgimee a Bndo uthned aArrietss ((2A0M07B)): v2 0 0 PArop1jp0e5 Dr0c0oatxitouimnm:a :G tGee 21DoS0gAc0ra9al4ephics 1350n0k0mm aAHCPsureaOo svrPdietetrauYcacgeRtlie:eia vIdD Gnea abdnHGty daTfo:r toviEChsemne orav nmAtsihmrsrmoetuesn omdn mnate wetDdane e tsaopaul alt bphRre ptome licfse eoAornrsurter socctfert atshl iaIen, fE2on0rmv0i9raotinomn eNnet tWwoartke,r , 3 Location and boundaries of Ningaloo Marine Park 4 | Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) – Information for Visitors The reserve is recognised internationally for its 2.2 Environmental annual aggregations of whale sharks. It is thought values that between 300 and 500 whale sharks visit each year. Aggregations generally occur between The reserve has international and national March and June, coinciding with mass coral significance due to its diverse range of marine spawning events and seasonal localised increases species and unique geomorphic features. While in productivity. Manta rays are also known to Ningaloo Reef occurs in the state waters of aggregate in the area during autumn and winter. Ningaloo Marine Park, the reserve provides essential biological and ecological links that sustain the reef and its biodiversity, including the supply of nutrients to reef communities from deeper waters further offshore. The reserve’s environmental values are its biodiversity, the marine habitats on which this biodiversity depends, and the high water quality which is a key feature of Ningaloo Marine Park’s marine ecosystem. Marine biodiversity A diverse range of sea creatures is found in the reserve, from microscopic plankton to large pelagic species, for which the reserve is The open ocean supports large numbers of particularly well known. Four marine turtle species pelagic fish including trevally, tuna, mackerel, have been recorded in the reserve including the marlin and sailfish, many of which are found much hawksbill, flatback, green and loggerhead turtles closer to shore at the reserve than in other parts of (of which the green turtle is most common). Large the world because of the narrow continental shelf. predators including the oceanic white-tip shark, Demersal species such as snappers, seaperches, tiger shark, blue shark and grey reef shark also emperors, lizard and goat fish have also been occur in deeper waters. The area is part of the recorded. Research has indicated that the reserve migratory route of many transequatorial shorebirds may also be an important area for tuna migration and waders and also provides valuable feeding and in particular for juvenile southern bluefin tuna. grounds for many migratory seabirds. 5 Whales are a major feature of the reserve. Water quality Humpback whales migrate through twice a year Ningaloo Marine Park is adjacent to an arid on their annual migration between their calving hinterland. Low levels of runoff and land-based grounds off the Kimberley and their feeding pollution give rise to high water quality in the grounds in Antarctica. Blue and sperm whales reserve and ecological processes that are almost have been observed in the offshore regions of the entirely dependent on the marine environment for reserve as have minke, Bryde’s, southern right and nutrient input. The primary influences on the water killer whales. Dolphins are also relatively common quality are oceanographic currents, cyclones and in the reserve. The most common is the bottlenose the impacts of human visitation. dolphin however the Indo-Pacific humpback, The Leeuwin and Ningaloo currents and common, spinner, spotted and Risso’s dolphins the Leeuwin undercurrent are the dominant have also been observed. oceanographic features of the area. The waters Recent research has revealed a wide variety of adjacent to the Cape Range Peninsula are a bottom dwelling species in the reserve, including regional hotspot for primary production as a result many previously unrecorded in Australia. The of the upwelling generated by the interplay between deeper water communities are dominated by these waterbodies, particularly during summer sponges with soft corals and algae found living when the Leeuwin Current is weaker and the among them. The high numbers of species and Ningaloo Current develops. The interaction between unusual forms found in the diverse sponge garden these currents facilitates vertical mixing of water habitats add to the reserve’s importance. layers and is primarily responsible for the enhanced but sporadic bursts in biological productivity in the area. These seasonal ‘pulses’ of biological productivity are thought to be linked to the aggregations of species such as whale sharks and manta rays. The currents affecting Ningaloo Marine Park are depicted on page 7. Tropical cyclones occur most frequently in February and March but have been recorded in the region as early as December and as late as May. The region generally experiences a cyclone around every two years with a severe cyclone likely every 25 years. Tides in the northern area of the reserve are best described as semi-diurnal (two highs and two lows per day). The tidal range decreases southwards becoming mixed, that is diurnal and semi-diurnal, 6 | Ningaloo Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) – Information for Visitors