Julian Rocks, near Byron Bay in Australia, forms a home for a great variety of marine wildlife, being full of brightly colored tropical fish, relatively peaceful sharks, huge rays, turtles and cuttlefish. Many of these animals are under threat and some are found nowhere else. As vital natural habitat, some of the area has been protected for thirty years.
However, the Julian Rocks marine reserve doesn’t extend very far. The larger reef inhabitants, particularly sharks, have a much wider range, and reports of individuals badly injured by fishing equipment or boats nearby come in regularly. A grey nurse shark, one of the site's iconic species, made the news when the animal was filmed entangled in a rope and with a badly broken jaw.
Ask the minister for the environment to extend the sanctuary zone around Julian Rocks to include the main aggregation zones for the grey nurse shark, nearly half of which are not currently protected.
We the understand ask that the sanctuary zone around Julian Rocks be extended. Reports of larger species being injured outside the sanctuary zone come in regularly; quite aside from the conservation impact, divers are unlikely to be attracted by the sight of badly injured endangered animals.
As a site of great biodiversity, which is also immensely popularly with divers, Julian Rocks and its inhabitants need protection. It would be sensible to extend the sanctuary zone to help preserve one of the areas most important natural assets, which has economic as well as environmental importance.
Extending sanctuary zones to include the main aggregation zones for the grey nurse shark, one of Julian Rocks' iconic species, would be a sensible move.
Thank you for your attention
