Biological surveys and habitat mapping of proposed marine protected areas on the Tasmanian north and north-eastern coasts

During the summer 1998/99 detailed mapping and biological surveys were undertaken at locations on the northern Tasmanian coastline that had been nominated by commercial and recreational fishers as potential marine protected areas with propagation benefits, or that had been identified during previous studies as potential representative marine protected areas. The fishing industry proposals examined were at Low Head, Lillico Beach and the Three Sisters-Goat Island Nature Reserve on the northern coastline and at Binalong Bay in the north-east. The adequacy of these proposals to provide conservation benefits, including the protection of resident fish stocks was examined, and for some areas, recommendations made on alternative boundary positions to ensure the proposals are effective. The potential representative areas surveyed were the section of coastline between Rocky Cape and Boat Harbour on the north-west coast, and in the vicinity of Waterhouse Point on the north-east coast. From the results, potential reserve boundaries are suggested that would include examples of the full range of marine habitats present at each of these locations.