On June 13, 2012 Australia’s then Environment Minister Tony Burke announced that the country would establish the world’s largest network of marine reserves. About one-third of the island-nation’s waters, running to over three million sq.km of reef and marine life around the country’s border will be covered, he said. While creating 60 reserves and also protecting the Coral Sea, the plan will also restrict fishing and oil and gas exploration, in a major step towards safeguarding the environment.
Highly protected areas such as the Coral Sea off Australia’s north-eastern coast and the adjoining World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef will also be protected from oil and gas exploration. Both areas, which cover a total 1.3m sq km, have shallow reefs that support tropical ecosystems with sharks, coral, sponges and many fish species.
The numbers of marine reserves off the Australian coast will be increased from 27 to 60.
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