New Kimberley Marine Park plan welcomed – submissions needed!

The draft Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park plan is the second marine park plan to be released for public comment as part of the four planned for Kimberley state waters (Camden Sound Marine Park being the first). The Marine Park will cover an area of 209,000 hectares and is planned to include three Marine Sanctuary zones.

Eighty Mile Beach extends 220 kilometres along the coast south of Broome and is one of the world's most significant feeding grounds for migratory shorebirds. It is also 'Ramsar-listed' meaning that it has been recognised as internationally significant.

Eighty Mile Beach supports a healthy nesting population of flatback turtles (endemic to northern Australia) and is rich in other marine life including sawfish, dugongs, dolphins, sharks, rays and millions of invertebrates that inhabit the sand and mud flats, mangroves, seagrass meadows and coral reefs.

This draft Marine Park plan was broadly welcomed by conservation groups as around 25% of the Marine Park has been included in three proposed Marine Sanctuary zones.

But the plan does need improvement to ensure that the levels of protection meet international standards while comprehensively and adequately representing the diverse marine habitats of the region. The region also remains under real threat from the resources sector, as the new Marine Park is proposed to sit on top of existing mining tenements – including oil and gas exploration leases.

So, to demand top-notch marine protection, get your submissions in today!

To view the full proposed Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park plan, visit the Department of Environment and Conservation's website here.

Take action

1. Download our easy submission guide

2. Email your submission to 'the Plan Co-odinator': eightymilebeach@dec.wa.gov.au

3. Alternatively, make an online submission by 20 January 2012.