Sanctuaries

What is a Marine Sanctuary?

Marine sanctuaries are areas where swimming, snorkelling, boating and diving may occur but extractive activities such as mining and fishing are prohibited.

Marine sanctuaries allow fish stocks to replenish within its boundaries whilst they can also increase the size and number of marine life outside the sanctuary - therefore benefiting fishing.

Marine sanctuaries have been proved as being effective conservation tools throughout the world. Significant areas of sanctuary will help to protect our oceans' ecological, social and economic value for the future.

What is the recommended amount of sanctuary?

Scientific advice recommends between 20 and 50% of all marine waters be protected as sanctuary.

How much of NSW waters are currently protected as sanctuary?

Less than 3% of NSW waters are currently fully protected as sanctuary. This is totally inadequte if we hope to protect our marine life for the future.

What are the benefits of marine sanctuaries?

Marine sanctuaries have a multitude of benefits for both marine life and for us.

They are an effective conservation tool as they:

* Increase biomass, abundance and population age of marine life
* Increase size of resident fish which consequently increases their productivity
* Enable habitat recovery
* Can increase the number and size of fish iin surrounding waters through a 'spillover effect'.
* Can contribute to increased tourism as the asthetic qualities of the area increase
* Can be an effective tool for research and education
* Are not limited by habitat types, species of inhabitant marine life or geographic location
* Positive effects are seen for both sedentary and mobile species
* Can be effective conservation tools whether small or large
* Can result in rapid, dramatic, positive results which continue for prolonged periods of time
* Help to promote the recovery of many depleted species that may have been overfished.
* Reduce the probability of extinction of threatened species
* Contribute towards a more secure environmental, economic and social future