Marine park to include Bouddi and Lion Island sites

The NSW Government's Marine Park proposal, which includes sites off the Bouddi Peninsula and Lion Island, will be the subject of an information session at Killcare Surf Life Saving Club on Sunday, September 9.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Mr Scot MacDonald is encouraging residents to attend the session and also complete a submission while the proposal is on exhibition.

"The aim is to protect the marine environment, improve water quality and ensure commercial and recreational fishing is accessible and sustainable," Mr MacDonald said.

The proposal is a result of the review of the NSW Marine Estate Management Regulation in 2017 and completion of a state-wide "evidence based threat and risk assessment for the NSW marine estate" completed by the state's Marine Estate Management Authority.

According to the Authority's website, that assessment "enabled us to focus management on reducing the most important threats and associated risks in NSW to maximise the environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits we all derive from the marine estate".

Threats and risks were also assessed at a regional level including what the authority called the Central Region, from Newcastle to Shellharbour that incorporates the Hawkesbury Shelf marine bioregion, of which the marine areas off Broken Bay are a significant part.

The marine park idea is part of Phase 3 of the Hawkesbury Shelf marine bioregion assessment, according to the website with a discussion paper outlining the authority's approach to "enhancing the conservation of marine biodiversity in the bioregion while allowing for a range of benefits and uses the NSW community derives from the marine estate in this region".

The stated aim of the marine park "is to reduce risks at a local scale from some site-based threats, while helping to conserve marine biodiversity".

It includes a network of 25 distinct sites rather than a single large marine park.

Three zone types, sanctuary, conservation and special purpose zones, are proposed.

Submissions close on Thursday, September 27.

SOURCE:

Media release, 4 Sep 2018

Kit Hale, Office of Scot MacDonald MP

Website, 5 Sep 2018

Hawkesbury Shelf Assessment, NSW Marine Estate