Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve

Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve is a 57,942 km2 marine protected area within Australian waters located off the east coast of Tasmania. It extends to the outer limits of the Australian exclusive economic zone in the Tasman Sea. The reserve was established in 2007[2] and is part of the South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network. It is the largest reserve of the South-east Network, the area covered is approximately equivalent to about 86% of the land area of Tasmania.

Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve
IUCN category II (national park)
Map showing the Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve
LocationTasman Sea, Australia
Nearest townBicheno, Tasmania
Coordinates42.19°S 151.12°E / -42.19; 151.12[1]
Area57,942 km2 (22,372 sq mi)
EstablishedAugust 31, 2007 (2007-08-31)
Governing bodyParks Australia (Commonwealth of Australia)
environment.gov.au/topics/marine/marine-reserves/south-east/freycinet

Several large offshore seamounts believed to be too deep to have been fished are within the reserved area. Seamounts generally host a wide variety of habitats that support deep ocean biodiversity, the large seamounts to the east of Tasmania are individually important, as they are expected to include endemic species. The shallower regions of the reserve includes habitat important to seabirds. Great white shark also forage in the reserve.[3]

Protection

Most of the Freycinet marine reserve area is IUCN protected area category II. A small portion near the coast is zoned as 'Recreational Use' (IUCN IV) and 'Multiple Use' (IUCN VI).[3]

Zone IUCN Activities permitted Area
(km2)
Recreational fishing Commercial fishing Mining
Marine National Park II No No No 56,793
Recreational Use IV Yes No No 323
Multiple Use VI Yes with approval with approval 826
[Note 1]

See also

Notes
  1. Summary of permitted activities only, see source for details[4]

References
  1. "Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve on OpenStreetMap". openstreetmap.org. © OpenStreetMap contributors. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  2. "Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2014 - Marine". environment.gov.au. © Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  3. "Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve". environment.gov.au. © Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  4. "South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network - Zoning and activities". environment.gov.au. © Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
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