Jervis Bay Marine Park Draft zoning plan overview

03-Sep-2010
Invitation to comment

You are invited to comment on the draft zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park.

The draft zoning plan is contained in the Draft Marine Parks (Zoning Plans) Amendment (Solitary Islands and Jervis Bay Marine Parks) Regulation 2010. It includes several proposed changes to the boundaries of zones and to the regulation of activities in the park, together with changes to the structure of the zoning plan.

The proposed changes are based on the review of the zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park. The review included community consultation on the existing zoning plan, preparation of a zoning plan review report, comments from the Jervis Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee and a set of directions from the Ministers on required amendments to the zoning plan.

The Ministerial directions and review report including a summary of stakeholder consultations and submissions together with other supporting documents are available from www.mpa.nsw.gov.au.

This brochure provides an overview of proposed changes to the zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park arising from the review and should be viewed alongside the map titled ‘Draft Zoning Plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park 2010’.
Further information on the proposed changes to the zoning plan can be obtained:
• from the Marine Parks Authority website at www.mpa.nsw.gov.au
• by contacting the Environment Line on 1300 361 967
• from the Jervis Bay Marine Park office at 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson
• from the National Parks regional office at 55 Graham Street, Nowra.

Making a submission

You are invited to make a submission on the draft zoning plan online at www.mpa.nsw.gov.au or alternatively you can complete and return a printed submission form.
For further information please call (02) 4428 3000 or email jervis.bay@mpa.nsw.gov.au.

The closing date for written and online submissions on the draft zoning plan is 5:00 p.m. on 17 September 2010. All submissions received by the closing date will be considered in finalising changes to the zoning plan

Jervis Bay Marine Park

NSW marine parks are part of a worldwide effort to protect marine biodiversity. They aim to conserve marine biodiversity, maintain ecological processes and provide for a range of sustainable uses of the marine environment. Jervis Bay Marine Park was one of the first marine parks to be established in NSW in 1998.

Jervis Bay has long been recognised as an area with outstanding natural values, including its extraordinary array of marine habitats and biodiversity, and as an area rich in Aboriginal and European cultural heritage. It is also of social and economic importance to the community. The Royal Australian Navy has been associated with Jervis Bay for over ninety years and uses Jervis Bay and surrounds for a variety of training activities.

The zoning plan, which commenced in 2002, protects the important natural and cultural values of the marine park, while providing for a range of sustainable uses including beach activities, swimming, surfing, commercial and recreational fishing, scuba diving, whale and dolphin watching, sailing, boating, research and other activities.

Review of the zoning plan

The Marine Parks Act 1997 requires that zoning plans are reviewed after the first five years of operation, and then every ten years. These reviews are to determine whether the zoning plan for the marine park remains appropriate for meeting the objects of the Act.

The Marine Parks Authority initiated the review of the Jervis Bay Marine Park Zoning Plan in March 2008. A set of 14 criteria, based on the national and state criteria for zoning marine protected areas, were used to assess the zoning plan. Public consultation to review the zoning plan was undertaken during April and May 2008 and included 41 stakeholder meetings and information sessions, with 680 submissions received.

During the community consultation period in 2008, a number of issues were raised, including:
• the level of protection provided by the sanctuary zones
• the level of protection provided to threatened species, including the grey nurse shark, Australian and New Zealand fur seals and various shorebirds
• the adequacy of boating facilities in Jervis Bay
• the impacts of commercial fishing occurring in the marine park
• the availability of access to rock fishing sites
• protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites.

Research and monitoring has continued to provide new information on the marine park. Projects have investigated its biodiversity, habitats and ecosystems, as well as ways in which it is used by the local community and visitors. The research has allowed more detailed maps of the marine park to be developed, including maps of subtidal reefs and estuarine vegetation.

New information shows that all habitat types in the marine park are represented in sanctuary zones, although only 8% of the total mapped area of rocky reef at intermediate depths (20 to 60 metres) is included in sanctuary zones.

Outcomes of the review

The review found that the zoning plan is generally appropriate for meeting the objects of the Marine Parks Act 1997. It also identified opportunities to fine-tune and improve the effectiveness of the zoning plan, based on new information that has become available since the zoning plan commenced in 2002, including the information provided during the review consultation period.

The review report and comments on the report from the Jervis Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee were submitted to the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, and the Minister for Primary Industries for their consideration. The Ministers have directed the Marine Parks Authority to draft changes to the zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park and to exhibit them for three months of public consultation.

Development of proposed changes to the zoning plan

A set of Ministerial directions were provided to guide development of changes to the zoning plan and are available from www.mpa.nsw.gov.au.

Information from submissions, focus group meetings and public information days on the zoning plan review was also used, together with improved scientific knowledge and information for the Jervis Bay Marine Park and marine protected areas more generally, and comments and advice from the Jervis Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee.

Based on this updated information, proposed changes to the zoning plan aim to improve the protection of the important natural and cultural values of the marine park, while providing for a range of sustainable uses.

The next scheduled review of the zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park is due to report in June 2019.

Proposed changes to the zoning plan

An overview of key proposed changes to the zoning plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park is provided below.

Under the proposed changes:
• Sanctuary zones would remain at 20% of the park
• Habitat protection zones would increase from 72% to 74% of the park
• General use zones would decrease from 8% to 6% of the park
• Special purpose zones would remain at 0.2% of the park.

1. Proposed changes to zones

Three changes are proposed to the boundaries of zones in Jervis Bay Marine Park. The proposed changes to each zone are shown on the main map and Map Insets A, F and G. The boundaries of other unrelated zones would remain unchanged.

1.1 Improving the manageability of the Drum and Drum Sticks sanctuary zone

It is proposed to improve the manageability of the Drum and Drum Sticks sanctuary zone by designating straight-line boundaries whilst minimising effects on park users (see Map Inset A). This proposal accords with Ministerial direction 1. 4 Jervis Bay Marine Park – Draft zoning plan overview

1.2 Adjusting the boundaries of the St Georges–Steamers Head sanctuary zone

The proposed zone would be renamed the Brooks Rock–Moes Rock sanctuary zone. The proposal would improve the representation of intermediate reefs in sanctuary zones whilst maintaining access for land-based, recreational line fishing only, by retaining a 100 m wide strip of habitat protection zone between Moes Rock and Cape St George (see Map Inset F).

Commercial line fishing and all spearfishing, boat based fishing, trapping and fishing other than land-based recreational line fishing would be prohibited in this strip of habitat protection zone, as there are opportunities for these fishing activities elsewhere in the park.

Large areas of extensive and complex intermediate reef (rocky reefs between 20 and 60 m water depth) have been mapped in Jervis Bay Marine Park since the commencement of the current zoning plan. These reefs are found particularly in Crookhaven Bight (northern ocean waters of the park off Currarong) and off Stony Creek (ocean waters off the Bherwerre Peninsula), with smaller intermediate reefs fringing the Beecroft Peninsula.

Under the existing zoning plan only 8% of mapped intermediate reef habitat is protected in sanctuary zones. Research has shown that marked and significant differences in reef complexity and structure and associated flora and fauna occur between shallow and intermediate reef systems. Similarly research has shown significant differences between intermediate reefs in Jervis Bay and Batemans marine parks.

It is proposed to increase the amount of mapped intermediate reef habitat in Jervis Bay Marine Park sanctuary zones from 8% to 25% by adjusting the boundary of the St Georges–Steamers Head sanctuary zone. Of the available options for including intermediate reef in sanctuary zone, this proposal is considered to have the least impact on marine park users, does not increase the total area of sanctuary zone in the park and improves fishing access from Sussex Inlet. This proposal accords with Ministerial direction 2.

1.3 Changing the Wreck Bay general use zone to habitat protection zone to improve manageability

It is proposed to change the Wreck Bay general use zone to habitat protection zone to improve manageability by removing a curved boundary (see Map Inset G). This change is in line with the proposal to prohibit trawling in the marine park (see Section 2.4 below) and accords with Ministerial direction 3.

1.4 Recognition of cultural use

The Marine Parks Authority will continue to liaise with local Aboriginal communities with a view to identifying areas of cultural significance and how they should be managed in the marine park. This proposal accords with Ministerial direction 6.

2. Proposed changes to the regulation of activities

The activities generally permitted in each type of zone in Jervis Bay Marine Park under proposed changes to the zoning plan are outlined in the Summary of Permitted Activities Table on the map. Ten changes are proposed to the regulation of activities in Jervis Bay Marine Park.

Management arrangements under the zoning plan would continue unless they are specifically changed. 5 Jervis Bay Marine Park – Draft zoning plan overview

2.1 Extend the designated anchoring area in Hare Bay

It is proposed to extend the existing designated anchoring area in Hare Bay to improve boating access between Red Point and Hare Point (see Map C).

The proposed designated anchoring area would extend 50 m seaward of the mean high water mark but anchoring in seagrass beds would still be prohibited.

This proposal aims to improve boating access, while maintaining protection of seagrass beds. It accords with Ministerial direction 5.

2.2 Rationalise arrangements for commercial fishing by purse seining

In addition to restrictions on purse seining under the existing zoning plan (e.g. permitting requirements), it is proposed to:

(i) remove the designated area for purse seining adjacent to Bowen Island to protect a site of high conservation significance
(ii) rationalise the boundaries of the remaining designated area for purse seining to make it easier to comply with. There would be no reduction in the total area available for purse seine fishing as a result of these changes. This proposal accords with Ministerial direction 3.

2.3 Prohibit commercial fishing by lift netting

It is proposed to prohibit lift netting in the marine park to improve the protection of marine biodiversity. No permits were sought for the activity under the existing zoning plan. This proposal accords with Ministerial direction 3.

2.4 Prohibit commercial fishing by trawling

It is proposed to prohibit trawling throughout the marine park. This is consistent with the NSW Government's commitment to implement a series of closures to trawling to protect the range of ocean habitats and associated biodiversity as outlined in the Ocean Trawl Fishery Management Strategy (2007). This proposal fulfils Ministerial direction 3.

2.5 Prohibit spearfishing and the use of motorised vessels, including personal watercraft, in Honeymoon Bay

It is proposed to prohibit spearfishing and the use of motorised vessels, including personal watercraft, in Honeymoon Bay, in addition to restrictions on these activities under the existing zoning plan (see Map B). This proposal aims to improve amenity and address public safety concerns. The restrictions would not apply to police vessels or vessels used by NSW Government departments or Shoalhaven City Council for business purposes. This proposal is in line with Ministerial direction 5.

2.6 Include further management arrangements for aquaculture within Jervis Bay in the zoning plan

It is proposed that aquaculture in the marine park would require Ministerial consent and be restricted to:

(i) extensive aquaculture (i.e. aquaculture without the addition of nutrients) of species that were established in the waters of the State before European settlement
(ii) habitat protection zones and general use zones
(iii) a total area of 440 hectares within Jervis Bay embayment.

All applications to conduct aquaculture in the marine park would be in accordance with an aquaculture industry development plan for Jervis Bay Marine Park. 6 Jervis Bay Marine Park – Draft zoning plan overview

This proposal aims to formalise the management of aquaculture in the marine park. It accords with Ministerial direction 4.

2.7 Prohibit the use of personal watercraft at Hyams Beach

It is proposed that the use of personal watercraft be prohibited in the habitat protection zone at Hyams Beach, in addition to restrictions on the use of personal watercraft under the existing zoning plan (see Map E).

This proposal aims to improve amenity and address public safety concerns at Hyams Beach. It accords with Ministerial direction 5.

2.8 Prohibit the use of motorised vessels, including personal watercraft, in Carama Creek and Moona Moona Creek

In addition to existing restrictions, it is proposed that the use of motorised vessels be prohibited in Carama Creek (see Map C) and Moona Moona Creek (see Map D) upstream of their confluences with Jervis Bay.

This proposal aims to improve the protection of seagrass beds in the shallow waters of these creeks. The restrictions would not apply to police vessels or vessels used by NSW Government departments or Shoalhaven City Council for business purposes. This proposal accords with Ministerial direction 8.

2.9 Improve arrangements for the protection of species

This proposal aims to simplify restrictions on recreational fishing activities by allowing fish species to be taken consistent with fisheries management rules (e.g. bag and size limits) unless they are listed as protected species throughout the marine park. It accords with Ministerial direction 9.

It is proposed that species in Table 1 would be protected species and could not be taken or harmed anywhere in the marine park.
For more information:
www.mpa.nsw.gov.au
jervis.bay@mpa.nsw.gov.au