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Murat 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 | Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve |
|---|---|
| Area | 938 km2 |
| Depth range | <15-70 m (approx.) |
| Types of zoning | Marine National Park Zone (IUCN Category II)–938 km2 |
Major conservation values
- Important foraging areas for:
- the threatened Australian sea lion
- threatened white shark
- migratory short-tailed shearwater and Caspian tern
- Examples of the ecosystems of the Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition and in particular, the Murat meso-scale bioregion and Eucla meso-scale bioregion
- Provides protection for Yatala Reef
- Two key ecological features:
- Benthic invertebrate communities of the eastern Great Australian Bight (communities with high species diversity)
- areas important for small pelagic fish (species group with an important ecological role)
Download reserve fact sheet
- Fact sheet - Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve (PDF - 72KB) | (Word - 357KB)