Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00324:front:0:p84
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00324
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 238753–241809

and is important as a year-round food source for marine turtles and dugong. The Torres Strait Dugong Sanctuary overlaps the Marine Park.
Natural values
The Marine Park includes examples of ecosystems representative of:
  * Northeast Shelf Transition—includes continental shelf, shallow water depths and high bottom salinity. It is influenced by tidal currents and has sandy substrates and reefs supporting benthic marine communities, reef-dwelling and pelagic species.
  * Northern Shelf Province—a dynamic region with gently sloping shelf topped with a number of pinnacles at depths ranging from 5 m to 30 m. Tidal eddies induce localised upwellings and hotspots of productivity that correspond with aggregations of marine life within the Marine Park.
Key ecological features of the Marine Park are:
  * Gulf of Carpentaria basin—one of the few remaining near-pristine environments in the world, characterised by soft sediments that support abundant and diverse communities dominated by polychaetes, crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms, with pelagic fish species such as shark, snapper, tuna and mackerel.
  * Gulf of Carpentaria coastal zone—an area where nutrient inflow from rivers generates high productivity, supporting diverse and abundant biota. The coastal zone supports many species that move between freshwater and saltwater environments.
The Marine Park supports a range of species, including species listed as threatened, migratory, marine or cetacean under the EPBC Act. Biologically important areas within the Marine Park include breeding and foraging habitat for seabirds, internesting and foraging habitat for marine turtles and dugong, and foraging, breeding and calving habitat for dolphins.
Cultural values
Sea country is valued for Indigenous cultural identity, health and wellbeing. Across Australia, Indigenous people have been sustainably using and managing their sea country for tens of thousands of years. Torres Strait Islanders and coastal Aboriginal people of the west coast of Cape York have responsibilities for sea country in the Marine Park.
The Cape York Land Council is the Native Title Representative Body for the Cape York region, which includes most of the Marine Park. The Carpentaria Aboriginal Land Council and the Torres Strait Regional Authority also perform the function of Native Title Representative Bodies for parts of the Marine Park.
Heritage values
No international, Commonwealth or national heritage listings apply to the Marine Park at commencement of this plan.
Historic shipwrecks
The Marine Park contains one known shipwreck listed under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976.
Social and economic values
Commercial fishing, tourism, and recreation, including fishing, are important activities in the Marine Park. These activities contribute to the wellbeing of regional communities and the prosperity of the nation.

Figure S2.9 West Cape York Marine Park
Schedule 3 Environmental features used in the design of the North Network
Four types of environmental features were used in the design of the marine