Great Australian Bight Marine National Park

The Great Australian Bight Marine Park is a protected marine area, located on the coast of South Australia and 918 kilometers west of Adelaide is located. The 21,500 km ² and was founded in 1995 Reserve begins 200 kilometers west of Ceduna and extends along the coast of the Great Australian Bight to the border of Western Australia. The Marine Park includes the marine waters and the continental shelf down to a depth of 1000 meters.

The southern boundary of the park is formed over long distances from latitude 31 ° 47 ' S, which corresponds approximately to the 12 - mile zone. In the midst of it is a 200 nautical miles ( 370 km ) to the south and reaching the 20 mile wide strip of sea also protected, so that the reserve will receive a T-shape. A 3 mile wide strip along the coast to the north is under the administration of South Australia, the rest is managed by the Commonwealth.

History

In January 1627 the Dutchman Pieter Nuyts sailed on the Gulde Zeepaard along the coast. Later Joseph Bruny d' Entrecasteaux, in December 1792, for the sailing ships La Recherche ( " searching" ) and L' Esperence ( " Hope" ) in this area.

The first commercial activities in this sea area were carried out by Wal- catching and robes in 1800, which after 1845 due to low catch rates were insignificant. As of 1931, the whales were diagnosed in the territory of South Australia under protection. Is also fished the Southern Rock Lobster ( Jasus edwardsii ).

In June 1995, the Government of South Australia declared 430 km ² to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. 1996 further 1240 km ² have been placed under protection and declared the whole area a Marine Park. 1998 were provided by the federal government south of the Marine Park adjacent additional 19,395 km ² as a marine park under protection.

Conservation

There are different zones with different protection objects, the various permitted activities and various management plans.

The area along the coast mainly protects the Australian sea lions and Southern Right Whales Whales, while the protection of the benthos is in extending southward deep strip in the foreground. The National Park is one of a very rich marine fauna with a wide variety of marine animals such as red algae, sea squirts, moss little animal, molluscs and echinoderms. Many of these species are endemic.

The high food supply, which attracts numerous animals in the protection zone, the result of the meeting of the warm tropical waters of Western Australia and the cold waters of Southern Australia.

Southern Right Whale

Seescheide

Bryozoans