Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve

Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve
Australia
IUCN category II (national park)
Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve
Nearest town or city Fowlers Bay
Coordinates 32°31′0.12″S 132°39′00″E / 32.5167000°S 132.65000°E / -32.5167000; 132.65000Coordinates: 32°31′0.12″S 132°39′00″E / 32.5167000°S 132.65000°E / -32.5167000; 132.65000
Established 8 December 2012 (2012-12-08)[1]
Area 937.77 km2 (362.1 sq mi)[2]
Managing authorities Department of the Environment
Website Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve

Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve is a marine protected area located in the Great Australian Bight south of South Australia in waters within the Australian Exclusive economic zone to the west of the island group known as the Nuyts Archipelago and ranging in depth from 15 metres (49 ft) to 70 metres (230 ft). It was gazetted in November 2012. It is part of a group of Commonwealth marine reserves known as the South-west Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network. The reserve includes ecosystems representative of a feature known as the "Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition", two "key ecological features" being "benthic invertebrate communities’’ and "areas important for small pelagic fish", and the feeding areas for the following species - Australian sea lion, great white shark short-tailed shearwater and Caspian tern. It also provides protection for a submerged reef system known as "Yatala Reef". The reserve is classified as an IUCN Category II protected area.[2][1][3][4]

Map of southern Western Australia and South Australia
The South-west Corner Marine Reserves Network, including the Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Commonwealth Marine Reserves) Proclamation 2012 - F2012L02188". Commonwealth of Australia, Comlaw. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database (CAPAD) - consolidated data set for all marine protected areas in Australian State and Commonwealth waters (refer "DETAIL' tab)". Department of the Environment. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve". Department of the Environment (DoE). Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve - Maps" (PDF). Department of the Environment (DoE). Retrieved 12 July 2015.


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