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Kimberley Commonwealth Marine Reserve
Overview
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR MARINE USERS
Transitional arrangements for new areas added to the Commonwealth marine reserve estate
From the declaration of Commonwealth marine reserves in November 2012 until management plans come into effect in July 2014, transitional arrangements apply.
- Under the transitional arrangements, there are NO CHANGES ON THE WATER for users of new areas added to the Commonwealth marine reserves estate.
- NOTE: There are no changes to management arrangements in the marine reserves that existed prior to the establishment of the new reserves, that is, the same restrictions on activities will continue to apply even where those reserves have been incorporated into new reserves.
| Name | Kimberley Commonwealth Marine Reserve |
|---|---|
| Area | 74 469 km2 |
| Depth range | 15-800 m (approx.) |
| Types of zoning |
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Major conservation values
- Important foraging areas for migratory seabirds, migratory dugongs, dolphins and threatened and migratory marine turtles
- Important migration pathway and nursery areas for the protected humpback whale
- Adjacent to important foraging and pupping areas for sawfish and important nesting sites for green turtles.
- The reserve provides protection for the communities and habitats of waters offshore of the Kimberley coastline ranging in depth from less than 15 metres to 800 metres
- Continental shelf, slope, plateau, pinnacle, terrace, banks and shoals and deep hole/valley seafloor features are all represented in this reserve
- Examples of the communities and seafloor habitats of the Northwest Shelf Transition, Northwest Shelf Province and Timor Province provincial bioregions along with the Kimberley, Canning, Northwest Shelf and Oceanic Shoals meso-scale bioregions
- Two key ecological features are included in the reserve:
- ancient coastline (an area of enhanced productivity attracting baitfish which, in turn, supplies food for migrating species)
- continental slope demersal fish communities (the second richest area for demersal fish species in Australia)
Download
- Fact sheet - Kimberley Commonwealth Marine Reserve (PDF - 75KB) | (Word - 359KB)