The NSW Marine Park Authority has recently released the Draft Zoning Plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park.

The National Parks Association of NSW believes that the Plan does not go far enough.

The Jervis Bay Marine Park is characterised by unpolluted waters and white sandy beaches. The Park is a national tourist attraction and hosts a range of recreational activities including swimming, dolphin and whale watching, bird watching, snorkelling, diving and boating.

The Park is bordered by both the Booderee and Jervis Bay National Parks and collectively they represent one of NSW most spectacular sites.

However, unlike the National Parks on land where the native plants and animals are fully protected. The proposed zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park only proposes to protect 20% of the plants and animals within the park.

This means about only 20% of the sandy beaches, intertidal rocky shores, subtidal reefs, soft substrate habitats, drift algae communities and mangroves will be fully protected in marine sanctuaries.

The park is home to a number of vulnerable and threatened species, including the grey nurse shark, eastern blue devil fish, weedy seadragon and the elegant wrasse.

Although these species are protected and it is illegal to deliberately injure or kill them, the habitats and food they depend on are not given the same protection.

NPA believes it is essential to have marine sanctuaries that enable us to protect not only the species but also the habitats and the food source they depend on.

Isn’t it about time we started giving the same level of protection to our marine wildlife as we give to their land based cousins?

Your submission must be received by 31 January 2002

Write: a short letter to the Marine Parks Authority stating that in Jervis Bay Marine Park, you:

Support: the current areas proposed as marine sanctuaries.

Seek: at least an additional 30% of the marine park as fully protected in marine sanctuaries.

Seek: all critical habitats of threatened marine species, such as the Grey Nurse Shark, to be fully protected in marine sanctuaries.

Seek: Permanent closure on commercial shark fishing inside marine park.

Oppose: the use of Jet ski’s within the Marine Park

Oppose: fishing competitions within the Marine Park

Oppose: the use of spear guns within the Marine Park

Oppose: aquaculture of any form within the Marine Park