Blue is the New Green: Support Marine Parks

The Torn Blue Fringe

NPA's Torn Blue Fringe report contains a proposal for protection of NSW's precious marine environment. If implemented, this will help ensure the future of our marine life and our marine based economies.

Key priorities:

1. A Sydney Marine Park
Creating a world first marine park

Throughout Sydney's marine waters our turtles, seahorses and over 580 species of fish face an everyday battle to cope with the effects of pollution, habitat degradation, invasive species and overfishing. In the face of climate change their battle will only get more challenging.

A Sydney Marine Park will afford greater protection to our marine environment while still allowing Sydneysiders continued enjoyment of all activities. As a marine park our waters would be better managed to minimise threats to our turtles, dolphins, fairy penguins and other creatures.

Recreational fishing in the majority of the park would be balanced by small pockets of sanctuaries where marine life can surge back to life.

Meanwhile a new government team would be on hand to monitor the park's waters, keep check of invasive species and address pollution and other threats.

Our Sydney Marine Park would be a world first as the only marine park based around a major city!

Whilst we have marine parks in the less populated areas along the NSW coast, we currently don't have one around its main city to cope with the demands of a 4 million strong population. Like Sydney's national parks on land, having better management for Sydney's waters will help protect our internationally renowned harbour and beaches from over exploitation.

As with other marine parks in NSW, this would help protect the area's social, economic and environmental future.

NPA is seeking a commitment from the NSW Government for a Sydney Marine Park before the March 2011 election.

We are currently working to engage communities, all levels of government and numerous stakeholder groups whilst working to silence the myths spread by anti-marine park lobby groups.

We invite you to work with us to make sure Sydney's sealife will be properly protected into the future.

Click here to sign our e-lobby letter to support us

2. Grey Nurse Sanctuaries - Just sixteen hotspots remain as key habitats for Grey Nurse Sharks in an attempt to help them recover their population numbers. These sharks are listed as critically endangered with only 500 left along Australia's east coast.


Both the Sydney Marine Park and Grey Nurse Sanctuaries, in time, need to be complemented by additional sanctuary areas along the NSW coast building a stronger network of long-term protection for our oceans.

More information

Click here for more a more detailed overview of long term protection of NSW oceans

Click here to download our long term proposal for NSW oceans, The Torn Blue Fringe

Click here to sign our e-lobby letter to support us