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This pristine coastal strip extends south from Green Head to the southern boundary of Nambung National Park (Wedge Island) and encompasses many of the islands located in this region. With excellent fishing, diving, snorkelling and swimming, Jurien Bay Marine Park is a popular place for anyone who loves water-based fun.
Home to large colonies of rare Australian sea lions, Jurien Bay Marine Park is also home to seabirds, western rock lobsters and a huge variety of fish. The annual humpback whale migration passes through the marine park as they journey along the western coast to calving grounds in the Kimberley.
The marine park was gazetted on 26 August 2003 as a Class A marine park and covers an area of 82,375 ha. It includes 3.7% sanctuary zones, 19.3% special purpose zones and 77% general use zones.
The Jurien Bay region is dominated by five major marine habitat types: seagrass meadows; bare or sparsely vegetated mobile sand; shoreline and offshore intertidal reef platforms; subtidal limestone reefs and reef pavement. Extensive seagrass meadows consisting of at least nine species of seagrass exist in the Jurien Bay Marine Park. Marine wildlife includes 14 species of cetaceans (five of which are listed as rare or likely to become extinct), a variety of sea and shorebirds which nest on the islands, and the Australian sea lion, a species which is specially protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950.
Commercial fishing for western rock lobster has the highest economic value of any single species commercial fishery in Australia and is the mainstay of the economy in the Jurien Bay region. Commercial rock lobster fishing boats work out of the Jurien Bay area from bases at Green Head, Jurien Bay, Cervantes and Wedge, catching lobster each season. Recreational fishing is a popular activity in the area. Recreational fishers target a variety of species, the most highly regarded being western rock lobster, Western Australian dhufish, pink snapper, baldchin groper and abalone. Several other finfish and mollusc species are also taken.
The pleasant Mediterranean climate of the Jurien Bay region combined with its accessibility to Perth and its sheltered waters have resulted in Jurien Bay being a popular place for a variety of watersports including SCUBA diving, surfing, snorkeling, water-skiing and windsurfing.
These same factors, in addition to the natural sites of interest on the adjacent mainland, contribute to the substantial tourism visitation of the area. The establishment of Indian Ocean Drive has made the Jurien Bay region even more accessible from Perth and has led to a significant growth in tourism.
Zones in the Jurien Bay Marine Park
The zoning scheme for the Jurien Bay Marine Park comprises:
• ten sanctuary zones (approximately 3,061 ha or 3.7% of the marine park);
• twelve special purpose zones (approximately 1,536 ha or 19.3% of the marine park); and
• general use zone (approximately 63,742 ha or 77% of the marine park).
Sanctuary Zones
The primary purpose of sanctuary zones is to provide areas where natural processes can be studied or appreciated free of significant human influence. Sanctuary zones (3.7% in Jurien Bay Marine Park) provide the opportunity to improve the understanding of the key ecological processes of the marine park and to obtain critical comparative data with areas of the marine park where fishing, collecting and harvesting activities are permitted, and/or where environmental impacts may be occurring. These zones may also provide other ecological benefits such as safe havens for exploited species, replenishment areas and nature appreciation sites.
All extractive activities are excluded from sanctuary zones. However, passive nature-based tourism, some recreational activities, boating and approved scientific research is permitted. The management plan can be found here.
More information can be found at Jurien Bay | Explore Parks WA | Parks and Wildlife Service (dpaw.wa.gov.au).
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Hon Reece Whitby MLA, former Minister for Emergency Services; Racing and Gaming; Small Business; Volunteering, has been appointed Minister for Environment; Climate Action.
