16 November 2012: The Government of Australia has announced the world’s biggest network of marine reserves. Covering an ocean area of over 2.3 million square kilometers (km2), the new reserves include important habitats for threatened species of turtles, sharks and whales.

According to Australia’s Environment Minister, Tony Burke, the Government is now developing management plans and setting out how the reserves are to be managed, as well as what gear types and activities can be used and undertaken in the new marine reserves. These are expected to be completed and to come into effect by July 2014. He also announced the allocation of AUD$100 million in fisheries adjustment assistance to support the creation of the network of marine reserves.

The new reserve network includes the following regions: the Coral Sea Region, including Osprey Reef, Marion Reef, Bougainville Reef, Vema Reef, and Shark Reef; the South-west Marine Region, extending from South Australia, to Shark Bay in Western Australia, and including the Perth Canyon and the Diamantina Fracture Zone; the Temperate East Marine Region, including the waters surrounding Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands; the North Marine Region which includes the Commonwealth waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Arafura Sea and the Timor Sea; the North-west Marine Region stretching from the Western Australian-Northern Territory border through to Kalbarri, south of Shark Bay in Western Australia; and the South-east Marine Region which extends from the far south coast of New South Wales, around Tasmania and to South Australia. [Government of Australia Press Release] [Australian Marine Reserves Website]