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Shark Bay Marine Park
Western Australia
IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
A143, Shark Bay Marine Park, Western Australia, dolphin, 2007.JPG
A dolphin at Monkey Mia in the marine park
Shark Bay Marine Park is located in Western Australia
Shark Bay Marine Park
Shark Bay Marine Park
Location in Western Australia
Nearest town or city Denham
Established 1989
Area 7,487.25 km2 (2,890.8 sq mi)
Managing authorities WA Department of Parks and Wildlife
Website Shark Bay Marine Park
See also List 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) marine park is situated over 800 km (500 mi) north of Perth and 400 kilometres (250 mi) north of Geraldton.

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.

Major reference points of its boundaries include Steep Point at the south side of Dirk Hartog Island and Cape Inscription at the north side.

Fishing

Fishing in the marine park are governed by the Gascoyne Fishing Rules that specify the waters and species 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.
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