Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00321:front:0:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00321
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 28890–32002

diving and boating. Tourism operators offer unique experiences for visitors to enjoy the offshore reefs, islands, cays and deep-water environments. Although many of the marine parks are remote and far offshore, opportunities exist for recreational use, particularly around Solitary Islands, Norfolk and Lord Howe Marine Parks.
There are significant industries in the region, including commercial fishing and shipping that contribute to economic growth, employment and social wellbeing in adjacent towns and communities. Activities and businesses that support these industries such as marine industry suppliers and repair yards are also important sources of employment for coastal communities.
The marine environment of the region is characterised by continental shelf, slope, and abyssal plain/deep ocean floor, with significant variation in seafloor features including tropical and cold-water reef systems, seamounts and canyons. Linking these habitats are strong ocean currents that greatly influence and structure the region's productivity and biological diversity. The East Australian Current is the dominant oceanographic influence, bringing warm waters from the Coral Sea down the outer edge of the continental shelf, extending the range of tropical species into subtropical and temperate waters. For this reason, the region supports high levels of species richness and diversity, particularly among corals, crustaceans, echinoderms, molluscs, sea sponges and fish. This is particularly true in places like Lord Howe Island and Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, where both warm and cold-water species flourish alongside each other.
The region has high species diversity, globally significant populations of internationally threatened species and a small number of species found nowhere else. It supports biologically important areas for species, including sharks, whales and seabirds. For example the east coast population of grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) and migratory white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) aggregate off the coast of New South Wales, while migratory humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate through the region to and from breeding grounds in Queensland. The region also includes important offshore reef habitat at Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. These sites support the vulnerable black cod, are the southernmost extent of many reef-building coral species, and are important breeding, foraging and feeding areas for several species of seabird. Other species known to occur in the region include species of marine turtle and bony fish.
Further information about the region can be found in the Marine bioregional plan for the Temperate East Marine Region (2012), and the East marine bioregional plan: bioregional profile (2009) (available on the Department's website), and the marine park values in Section 2.3 and Schedule 2 of this plan.
Figure 2.1 Temperate East Marine Region

The Temperate East Marine Parks Network
The Temperate East Network (Figure 2.2) covers 383,339 km2 and includes eight marine parks. An overview of the marine parks