Zoning scheme for world-class South Coast Marine Park released

The W.A. State Government has released the official zoning scheme for the South Coast Marine Park to coincide with the park’s formal creation, with the park’s management plan striking a balance between recreation, commercial use, and conservation.

Under the final zoning scheme, locals and visitors will be able to continue fishing along 85 per cent of the coast from Bremer Bay to the South Australian border, and in 80 per cent of park waters.

Sanctuary zones will protect 20 per cent of the most biodiverse areas within the park, including breeding areas for threatened species, such as Australian sea lions.

The park will afford significant protection to marine life along Western Australia’s south coast, which is home to species found nowhere else in the world and where just one per cent of State waters are currently protected.

It will also deliver business and tourism opportunities throughout the region, as well as employment opportunities for Traditional Owners through joint management.

Publication of the park’s final zoning scheme follows one of the most consultative processes ever conducted for a marine park in WA.

That consultation began in 2021, with sector advisory and community reference groups, local governments, commercial and recreational fishers, and conservation groups providing input.

This was later followed by a four-month long public comment period – longer than required under law and the most extensive period ever run for a marine park – and the opening of a ‘pop-up shop’ in Esperance that allowed members of the public to have detailed conversations with marine park planning experts.

The State Government received a record 22,000 submissions during the public comment period.

An overwhelming majority of respondents supported the creation of the marine park, with those comments helping improve the marine park’s draft management plans.

Final management plans for the South Coast Marine Park will be released later this month with the park’s zoning scheme to take legal effect from late-2026.

Fishing activity across the marine park will not be affected until late 2026 at the earliest, which allows time for fishers to work through the new operating environment.

The State Government will continue to work with the commercial fishing sector on transitioning toward future arrangements, including establishing a Voluntary Fisheries Adjustment Scheme at an appropriate time determined between industry and government.

Environment Minister Reece Whitby said “No government in Western Australia’s history has ever consulted as long or as widely as ours did for the creation of the South Coast Marine Park.

“That’s resulted in a final zoning scheme that strikes the right balance between general-use, recreation, and sanctuary zones.

“I have always said I want to see a world-class marine park along WA’s south coast that rivals Ningaloo or the Great Barrier Reef.

“I’m glad to say that’s exactly what we will see happen with this South Coast Marine Park.”

To find out more, head to: https://www.dbca.wa.gov.au/scmp