Background

• What is a Marine Protected Area?
• What is a Marine Park?

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What is a Marine Protected Area?

A Marine Protected Area (MPA) can be defined as an area of marine environment, reserved by law, to protect all or part of the enclosed environment. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) defines a marine protected area as "any area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means" (IUCN, 1994).

Cuttlefish (Photo: Deb Allen)	Sea Lions, Eyre Peninsula (Photo: SATC)	Ocean, Kangaroo Island (Photo: SATC)

The term 'marine protected area' is a generic term used to encompass a broad variety of protected areas in the marine environment. Worldwide, over 5,000 marine protected areas have been established. Each marine protected area may differ considerably in its objectives, size and the level of protection that it offers. Some examples of MPAs include:

• Aquatic Reserves
• Marine Sanctuaries and Reserves
• Historic Shipwreck zones
• National Parks with a marine extent, and
• Marine Parks.

Within South Australia there is a variety of marine protected areas which have been established under a range of differing legislation.

Other types of MPAs in SA.

What is a Marine Park?

A marine park is just one example of a Marine Protected Area. Within the South Australian context, a marine park is simply a large marine protected area which provides for the specific conservation and protection of our marine environment whilst also providing for our continuing use. Each marine park will utilise a system of multiple use zones which will provide for a range of activities and uses within each park boundary. This means that most activities, including recreational and commercial fishing, will still be allowed, however, there will be particular zones or periods of time where some activities will not be permitted.

Nineteen new marine parks are proposed as a key contribution to the South Australian Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (SARSMPA). All 19 marine parks will be located within South Australia's State waters, which generally extend out to 3 nautical miles from the coast, and includes the gulfs and offshore islands.

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