SYDNEY: Australia expanded an Antarctic marine park on Tuesday, protecting a large expanse of ocean area that is home to penguins, seals, whales, and the nation’s two active volcanoes.
Heard Island and McDonald Island, a marine reserve 1,700 kilometers from Antarctica, would double in area as a result of the declaration.
According to a government release, this means that 52% of the country’s oceans would be protected, solidifying Australia’s position as one of the top nations protecting its seas.
Additionally, Australia will surpass the global target of 30 percent United Nations participation by 2030, which it committed to in 2022.
The announcement was hailed as a “huge environmental win” by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.
“This is a unique and extraordinary part of our planet. We are exerting every effort to safeguard it,” she declared.
Because of its size and remoteness, Australia has more ocean to protect than other countries, especially in areas where fishing is not as popular.
For instance, only 1.1 percent of Tasmania’s seas are protected, despite the fact that commercial fisheries play a significant role in the state’s economy (the region’s abalone industry contributes almost 25 percent of the world’s yearly harvest).
There is still “a significant amount of work to ensure our network of marine parks is comprehensive, adequate, and representative,” according to Richard Leck, head of oceans at WWF-Australia. Strong protections, he continued, were still lacking for numerous important ocean conservation zones.
