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Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park facts for kids

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Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park
IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
Location Australia
Area 146,003 km2 (56,372 sq mi)
Established 1 July 2018
Operator Parks Australia

The Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park is a very special ocean area off the coast of Western Australia. It used to be called the Argo-Rowley Terrace Commonwealth Marine Reserve. This huge marine park includes the protected Rowley Shoals, which are about 260 kilometers north-west of Broome.

The park covers an amazing 146,003 square kilometers of ocean. It's like a giant underwater playground for marine animals! This park is the biggest of 13 parks in the North-west Marine Parks Network. It's managed to protect its unique ocean environment.

Why is this Marine Park Important?

Home for Amazing Animals

The Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park is a vital place for many sea creatures.

  • It's a key feeding spot for seabirds that travel long distances.
  • The park also protects the endangered loggerhead turtle, which is a very special sea turtle.
  • You can find many sharks here, especially around the Rowley Shoals. There are more sharks here than in other nearby areas.
  • The park protects deep-sea homes for animals, from 220 meters down to over 5000 meters deep. That's super deep!

Unique Ocean Floor and Connections

This marine park also protects special parts of the ocean floor.

  • It has cool underwater features like canyons, hills, and slopes.
  • These areas are home to unique groups of plants and animals.
  • The park connects other important marine areas. It links the Mermaid Reef Marine Park and the Rowley Shoals Marine Park to deeper ocean waters.
  • There are deep canyons that link to the Argo Abyssal Plain. These spots are rich in food, so many animals gather there to eat.
  • The waters around Mermaid Reef are full of different kinds of life. Many animals come here to feed and have their babies.

History of the Park

This marine park was officially created on December 14, 2013. It was later renamed the Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park on October 9, 2017. The special rules and protection plans for the park started on July 1, 2018. This is when the park truly began its important work of protecting the ocean.

How the Park is Protected: Special Zones

The Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park has different areas, called "protection zones." Think of them like different rules for different parts of a park on land. Each zone has its own set of rules to make sure marine life and their homes are safe.

Here's a simple look at what you can and can't do in each zone:

Zone Name Type of Protection What You Can Do (or not do!) Size of Zone
(km2)
Boating Through Fishing for Fun Commercial Fishing Growing Seafood (Aquaculture) Tourism (like tours) Mining
National Park Zone Very High Protection Yes No No No some tours allowed, but no fishing, with permission No 36,050
Multiple Use Zone Good Protection Yes Yes most types allowed, with permission with permission with permission with permission 108,812
Special Purpose (Trawl) Zone Specific Use Allowed Yes Yes trawling allowed, but no longline fishing, with permission with permission with permission with permission 1,141
Want to know more? See the full rules for the North-west Marine Parks Network
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