But pressure on our marine environment is increasing. Many of our marine species and the habitats they depend on are under threat from human activities. Pollution, fishing, mining and global warming are all taking their toll.

National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) believes our ability to enjoy a healthy and diverse marine environment is under threat.

One of the ways of minimising the threats to the marine environment is by having areas of the sea that are fully protected in ‘marine sanctuaries’. Just like national parks on land, we need marine areas where life is safe from human exploitation.

NPA is campaigning for a comprehensive system of well managed marine sanctuaries that protect at least 20% of each marine habitat types across NSW and Commonwealth waters.

Marine sanctuaries’ are areas that are set aside for conservation, where marine life has a chance to live and breed in peace. These areas are open to everyone but fishing and mining are banned.

By protecting our sponge gardens, kelp forests, rocky shores, coral reefs, sandy bottoms and open oceans we will help conserve our marine biodiversity and ensure our fisheries are healthy and productive.

At present in NSW waters, marine sanctuaries can only be given legal force through zoning as 'sanctuary' within a marine park (under the NSW Marine Parks Act) or within an aquatic reserve (under the NSW Fisheries Act). Most areas of a marine park are not zoned as sanctuary, and few aquatic reserves contain any sanctuary zone. Most areas of aquatic reserves and marine parks will have partial restrictions, but NPA does not believe they are effective in providing the real protection that our marine environment needs.

This confusing situation leads us to think that the creation of a marine park or aquatic reserve automatically leads to the best protection. This could not be further for the truth. The real protection comes with the sanctuary zone, and sizeable sanctuaries many not be created until years later, if at all.

NPA has long advocated marine nation parks (rather than marine parks) as a way of simplying this situation. Marine national parks are 100% sanctuary, and properly protect all marine animals, plants and features - like our land-based national parks do.

At the start of 2002, the total area of sanctuary zones within NSW waters is less than 500 hectares or 0.05% of NSW waters - that's about the size of Sydney's Centennial Park!. More than half of the total sanctuary zones is within Towra Point Aquatic reserve in Botany Bay.

NPA is working hard to significantly improve this embarrassing statistic.

Currently NSW only has three marine parks, Jervis Bay, Solitary Islands and Lord Howe Island. Each of these marine parks are ‘multiple use’ which mean that only sections of the park are fully protected from fishing and other extractive activities. Click on the links below for a brief description of the three marine parks in NSW.

International scientists are now demonstrating that no-take marine sanctuaries give enormous benefit to marine and aquatic life. Evidence has shown that these areas yield more fish, larger fish and a greater diversity of species than areas subject to pressures from fishing and/or development.

There is evidence that the same can be said of NSW. A survey undertaken in the waters off Bouddi National Park on the State’s Central Coast, a no-take reserve for 28 years, found up to 1340% greater numbers of fish, 63% greater species richness and greater fish size than adjacent waters.

The ecological benefits of no-take marine sanctuaries for marine biodiversity are obvious, but there are economic benefits as well. Many studies have confirmed a ‘spillover’ effect into surrounding waters, leading to increased catch for commercial and recreational fishing. Local tourism industries benefit from the natural splendour as well, creating employment and bringing valuable revenue into many regional communities.

National Parks Association of NSW is currently revising its marine policy. The current version can be viewed here.

NSW Marine Park Authority - http://www.mpa.nsw.gov.au/

NSW Fisheries - http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/

NSW National parks and Wildlife Service - http://www.npws.nsw.gov.au/

Environment Australia - http://www.erin.gov.au/

Grey Nurse Shark - on the road to Extinction (click here for more information)