Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00100:front:0:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00100
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 32684–35673

on significant advances in the scientific knowledge about the region's ecosystems; lessons learned from managing the marine parks since 2007; findings from the independent evaluation of the 20132023 management plan; and comments received through statutory public consultation processes. This plan also encapsulates the expanded Macquarie Island Marine Park, which came into effect on 1 July 2023.
This plan seeks to improve both the network design and its management through changes to zoning, allowable activities and management programs, compared with the previous management plan (in place from 2013 to 2023). In line with the marine park objectives, these changes are intended to find the right balance between protection of marine park values and sustainable use.
Zoning design

Zoning is the basis for marine park management, providing for various activities to be undertaken in different areas. This plan has changed existing zones in the network, while also creating new zones and changing the shape of some zones. This includes:

      * 5 marine parks with new offshore National Park Zones (International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN II) that were previously categorised as Special Purpose Zones (IUCN VI) under the last management plan. This change formalises a long history of almost no extractive use in these areas, including at South Tasman Rise, Tasman Fracture, Murray, Nelson and Zeehan Marine Parks
      * 7 parks with new National Park Zones (IUCN II). These zoning upgrades were carefully selected to protect important values in shelf, slope, canyon and seamount environments, that were subject to multiple pressures, while minimising impacts on existing users where possible. These changes were made to Beagle, Flinders, Freycinet, Franklin, Huon, Tasman Fracture and Murray Marine Parks
      * 2 parks with new areas for pelagic fishing access. Recognising the significant spatial squeeze experienced by the sector in the south-east marine region, the shifting ranges of target species in response to climate change, and the ongoing improvements to the sustainability of these fisheries, these changes were made to Flinders (IUCN IV  pelagic fishing only) and Murray (IUCN IV  pelagic fishing only) Marine Parks:

               + Flinders: the new Habitat Protection Zone is below the 4,000 m depth contour and entirely over the abyss – an ecosystem type that is extensively represented in highly protected zones in the network and in this marine park.

               + Murray: the new Habitat Protection Zone is carefully placed to continue to protect benthic habitats, while opening access to sustainable commercial fishing activities that are excluded from the canyons by the new highly protected zones in the park.

Collectively, zoning changes in this management plan represent an improvement on the previous plan zoning, when considering the design principles of comprehensive, adequate and representative protection, in the Guidelines for