Australia has recently announced plans to create the world’s largest marine reserve, encompassing 990,000 square kilometres and to be located in the Coral Sea starting at the eastern end of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It will begin at 60km out from the shore and will then extend as far as 1100 km from the Barrier Reef to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Within the park more than 507,000 square kilometres will be designated as ‘no take’ meaning that fishing of any kind will be banned. At the moment only 1% of the area is protected despite being recognised as both a historical site and as home to an incredible variety of marine life including tuna, sharks and numerous other endangered creatures. In addition the shallow reef systems contain incredible tropical ecosystems packed with sea stars, nautilus, hundreds of thousands of different fish communities as well as soft and hard corals, algae and sponges. The area also features numerous uninhabited islands that host essential nesting sites for seabirds and turtles.

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