Shoalwater Islands Marine Park to be extended northwards

13/1/98

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes has requested the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority to extend the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park northward to include the majority of Garden Island.

Mrs Edwardes said the proposal was part of a strategy in dealing with loss of seagrass from Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage.

"The expansion could mean a threefold increase in the size of the park and would include sea grass meadows near Garden Island in near-pristine condition," she said.

"Designation of seagrass areas in marine reserves will provide more secure conservation of the types of grass in Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage," she said.

Mrs Edwardes said she was aware of the need to develop environmental values, objectives and criteria for the management of Perth's coastal waters and of the need to apply environmental management and an 'ecosystem' level.

As part of the strategy the Minister also announced:

development of a long-term lime supply strategy for the State involving the Department of Resources Development and the Department of Minerals and Energy to review available alternatives with input from the Department of Environmental Protection on environmental implications;

reduce nitrogen sources to the southern metropolitan coastal waters to improve conditions for seagrass productivity including;

nutrient reduction programs for urban drainage into Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage

the addition of nitrogen load reduction targets to the Peel Harvey Environmental Protection Policy and the Swan Canning EPP (the policies address only phosphorus loads at present).

Mrs Edwardes said that the initiatives followed appeals to short-term shell-sand dredging from Success Bank in Cockburn Sound by Cockburn Cement.

The Minister today determined the appeals and intends to allow Cockburn Cement to finish dredging of short-term shell-sand area subject to requirements.

"In order to mitigate the loss of seagrass on Success Bank, Cockburn Cement will be required to remove the healthy seagrass growing in the area to be dredged which is suitable to be used in a rehabilitation trial and transplant it to a location where it will have a high chance of survival," she said.

"As well, I have also requested the Environmental Protection Authority to carry out environmental assessment of the likely cumulative impact of the Cockburn Cement's dredging plan."

Mrs Edwardes said the appeal determination and the initiatives would provide for a strategic approach to the protection of the important environmental values of both Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage.

Media contact: Diana Russell Coote 9421 7777