Australia plans to create the world’s biggest marine reserve in the Coral Sea, in an attempt to safeguard its biodiversity.
The planned Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve offshore Australia would include about 990,000 square kilometres (380,000 square miles).
The marine reserve would begin 60 km from Queensland’s shoreline, and expand 1,100 km into the sea.
Under the plan, oil and gas exploration would be restricted and new limitations would be added on fishing.
A recent study found that the Coral Sea, which extends from the Great Barrier Reef to the waters of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, was home to a variety of marine creatures, and has beautiful underwater geological features, like deep marine canyons.
The government will hold a three-month consultation period before making a final decision on approval for the marine reserve.
[mappress] Subsea World News Staff , November 28, 2011; Image: animalbase