Shark Bay Marine Park

Marine protected area in Western Australia

25°48′S 113°45′E / 25.800°S 113.750°E / -25.800; 113.750Established30 November 1990 (1990-11-30)^[1]Area7,487.25 km² (2,890.8 sq mi)^[2]Managing authoritiesWA Department of Parks and WildlifeWebsiteShark Bay Marine ParkSee alsoList of protected areas of
Western Australia

The Shark Bay Marine Park is protected marine park located within the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Shark Bay, in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. The 748,725-hectare (1,850,140-acre)^[2] marine park is situated over 800 km (500 mi) north of Perth and 400 kilometres (250 mi) north of Geraldton.^[3]^[4]

The marine park is known for its large marine animals, such as the famous Monkey Mia dolphins, turtles, dugongs and sharks. The park and its vast seagrass meadows, with a total of twelve species of seagrass in the park that form an important part of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.^[5]^[6]

Major reference points of its boundaries include Steep Point at the south side of Dirk Hartog Island and Cape Inscription at the north side.^{[citation needed]}

Fishing

Fishing in the marine park are governed by the Gascoyne Fishing Rules^[3] that specify the waters and species^[7] of the Shark Bay area, also known as the Shark Bay Inner Gulfs:

Eastern Gulf Zone: the region located east of the Peron Peninsula and north from Cape Peron North (25°30.2′S 113°30.6′E / 25.5033°S 113.5100°E / -25.5033; 113.5100 to a line at 25°16.6'S) and east to the coast of the mainland. Fishing is not permitted in the southern portion of this zone, the Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve.
Denham Sound: the region also known as the Western Gulf Zone, south to line at Goulet Bluff (25°13’S) which separates the Freycinet Estuary.

References

^ "Marine CAPAD 2022 WA summary". www.dcceew.gov.au/. Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Shark Bay, Western Australia". World Heritage List. UNESCO. 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Shark Bay Marine Park and Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve: recreation guide" (PDF). WA Department of Environment and Conservation; and WA Department of Fisheries (PDF). Government of Western Australia. November 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
^ Shark Bay Marine Reserves Draft Management Plan: Shark Bay Marine Park, Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve. Perth, WA: Government of Western Australia. 1994. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^ "Shark Bay Marine Park". WA Department of Parks and Wildlife. Government of Western Australia. 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
^ "Shark Bay World Heritage Site, Australia". Earth Snapshot. Rome, Italy: Chelys. 1 March 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
^ "Recreational fishing guide" (PDF). WA Department of Fisheries (PDF). Government of Western Australia. August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.