The Government has finalised plans to protect an additional 310,000 square kilometres (km2) of oceans surrounding two Australia’s islands near Antarctica.
Marine park zones protect more than half of Australia’s oceans.
The measure will protect the diverse wildlife of Heard and McDonald Islands from commercial fishing and mining.
Conservation groups welcomed the announcement but said the Government “missed an opportunity” to “ensure the future” of Antarctic marine life in areas surrounding the protected zones.
Islands
Theare 1,700 km from Antarctica and 4,100 km southwest of Perth. The Southern Ocean island group is one of Australia’s most isolated territories.
The islands are home to unique biodiversity including penguins, seals and seabirds. They’re also home to the only active volcanoes in the subantarctic zone — a region of coast and islands immediately north of the Antarctic Circle.
UNESCO described the world-heritage-listed islands as “one of the world’s rare pristine island ecosystems”.
Marine parks
Oceans and waterways listed as “marine parks” are protected from commercial fishing and drilling.
This week, the Government announced it was expanding the Heard and McDonald Islands protected zone, quadrupling the size of the marine park by an additional 310,000 square km — an area larger than New Zealand.
The Government said it consulted with scientific and fishing industry representatives on the changes. The Governor-General will sign off on the zones over the coming weeks.
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said the decision will help protect glaciers, wetlands, and biodiversity.
In 2022, the Government committed to protecting 30% of Australia’s oceans as part of a UN nature treaty.
Plibersek said this announcement meanswill be under marine protection.
She denied the plan would impact a “sustainable”that harvests Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish in the waters around the islands.
Response
A conservation alliance including the Australian Marine Conservation Society welcomed what it called a “notable” announcement.
However, the group argued the Government “missed an opportunity” to protect other nearby undersea habitats.
The group warned zones outside the marine park – including vital penguin, seal and albatross feeding grounds – would remain threatened by “climate change, pollution, fishing and invasive species”.
The conversation group said the Government “should have heeded” advice from scientists and advocates to increase marine sanctuaries “to help ensure the future of our Antarctic marine life.”
The Opposition said “marine protection is important” to the Coalition.
Shadow Environment Minister, Jonathon Duniam, told TDA the “Coalition supports moves to protect our environment when stakeholders’ views have been carefully considered.”
