Australia yesterday created the world’s largest network of
marine reserves, protecting a huge swathe of ocean environment
despite claims it will devastate the fishing industry. The
announcement, after years of planning and consultation, is to
significantly expand the protection of creatures such as the
blue whale, green turtle, critically endangered populations of
grey nurse sharks and dugongs. The scale of the plan, which will
cover more than 2.3 million square kilometers in six marine
regions, was first made public in June. Australian Environment
Minister Tony Burke said of 80,000 submissions received, the
vast majority supported the proposal. “There are very few
countries in the world that are as responsible for as much of
the ocean as Australia is and our oceans are under serious
threat,” he said. “There are a range of actions that need to be
taken to turn the corner on the health of our oceans.
Establishing national parks in the ocean is a big part of that
total picture.” Burke added that his decision wa