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Oceanic Shoals Marine Park facts for kids

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Oceanic Shoals Marine Park
IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
Location Australia
Area 71,743 km2 (27,700 sq mi)
Established 1 July 2018
Operator Parks Australia
Website https://parksaustralia.gov.au/marine/parks/north

The Oceanic Shoals Marine Park is a special ocean area off the coast of the Northern Territory in Australia. It's near the city of Darwin. This huge marine park covers about 71,743 square kilometers. That's a really big area, almost the size of a small country! It was set up to protect important ocean habitats and the amazing sea creatures that live there. It's the largest of eight parks in the North Marine Parks Network, all managed by Parks Australia.

Protecting Amazing Animals

This marine park is super important for many sea animals. It helps keep them safe and healthy.

Sea Turtles

The park is a vital spot for several types of threatened sea turtles. These include the flatback turtle, the olive ridley turtle, and the loggerhead turtle.

  • It's a resting place for flatback and olive ridley turtles. They rest here between laying their eggs.
  • It's also a feeding area for loggerhead and olive ridley turtles. They find lots of food here.

Unique Ocean Habitats

The Oceanic Shoals Marine Park protects some very special places in the ocean. These areas have unique features on the seafloor and different kinds of ecosystems.

  • It includes parts of two large ocean regions: the Northwest Shelf Transition Province and the Timor Transition Province. These areas have different types of marine life.
  • The Van Diemen Rise has a unique system of carbonate banks and terraces. These are like underwater hills and flat areas made of special rock.
  • The Joseph Bonaparte Gulf also has carbonate banks. These areas are very productive, meaning lots of plants and animals can live there. They also have a wide variety of species.
  • The Bonaparte Basin has "pinnacles." These are tall, pointed rock formations on the seafloor.
  • The edge of the Arafura Shelf, where the shallow shelf drops off into deeper water, is another unique seafloor feature.

How the Park Started

The Oceanic Shoals Marine Park was officially created on December 14, 2013. At first, it had a different name. It was renamed the Oceanic Shoals Marine Park on October 9, 2017. The rules for how the park is managed and protected began on July 1, 2018. This means that from that date, special rules were put in place to keep the park's environment safe.

Different Zones, Different Rules

Even though the whole Oceanic Shoals Marine Park is a protected area, it has different sections called "protection zones." Each zone has its own set of rules. These rules help make sure that the ocean habitats and animals are protected, while also allowing some activities in certain areas.

The park is mostly in a category called IUCN category VI. This means it's a protected area where people can use resources sustainably, but with careful management. Inside the park, there are four main types of zones:

Zone IUCN Activities permitted Total area
(km2)
Vessel transiting Recreational fishing Commercial fishing Commercial aquaculture Commercial tourism Mining
National Park II Yes No No No excludes fishing, with approval No 406
Habitat Protection IV Yes Yes some, with approval with approval with approval No 6,929
Multiple Use VI Yes Yes most, with approval with approval with approval with approval 39,964
Special Purpose (Trawl) VI Yes Yes excluding longline, with approval with approval with approval with approval 24,444
External link: Zoning and rules for the North Marine Parks Network
  • National Park Zone: This zone has the strictest rules. It's like a super-protected area where very few activities are allowed. It helps keep the most sensitive parts of the park safe.
  • Habitat Protection Zone: In this zone, activities are managed to protect the homes (habitats) of marine animals. Some fishing might be allowed, but only with special permission.
  • Multiple Use Zone: This is the largest zone. It allows for a wider range of activities, like recreational fishing, but still with rules to make sure the environment is protected.
  • Special Purpose (Trawl) Zone: This zone allows for specific types of fishing, like trawling, but with special rules and approvals to manage its impact.

These zones help balance protecting the ocean with allowing people to enjoy and use the marine park responsibly.

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