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Community-Initiated Aquatic Protected Areas in Western Australia

Colin Chalmers

Department of Fisheries Western Australia, PERTH, AUSTRALIA

Theme: TH1

For the last twenty years, community groups and local government agencies in Western Australia have sought the assistance of the Department of Fisheries in the protection of the marine environment. Generally, groups have sought the protection of interesting dive sites associated with shipwrecks, jetties and reef systems. The areas of concern are often close to townships, and local people wish to provide an opportunity for divers to observe unexploited stocks of fish and benthic communities. The Minister for Fisheries has closed a number of sites to fishing to create Reef Protected Areas. They include the Sanko Harvest shipwreck near Esperance, the old Esperance Jetty, Cowaramup Bay Reef near Margaret River, Yallingup Reef near Dunsborough, Samson 11/Kummunya wreck site near Port Samson and the Gantheaume Point Reef near Broome. Generally, a public consultation process conducted by the interest group but overseen by the Department of Fisheries, has preceded reservation. The Fish Resources Management Act 1994 enables the Minister to set areas aside as Fish Habitat Protection Areas (FHPA). The Act enables the Minister to regulate to control a range of activities in addition to fishing to protect these reserves. A number of community groups have approached the Minister seeking his assistance in having areas of the marine environment reserves as FHPAs. Community-initiated FHPAs have been established at Lancelin Island and Cottesloe Reef. This has required the groups to conduct a consultation and planning process as required by the Act and the preparation of a Draft and Final Plans. A third FHPA is to be established at Miaboolya Beach near Carnarvon. The Minister requires the community to make a commitment to assist the Department to manage these areas on an ongoing basis. The Minister has now released guidelines for the establishment of Fish Habitat Protection Areas.