Unique Alliance Calls for Coral Sea Heritage Park

September 10, 2008

Sydney, Australia — Today at the Australian National Maritime Museum, former Chiefs of the Navy, the Battle for Australia Commemoration National Council, Australia’s leading tropical marine scientists and environmental organisations called for the Coral Sea to be protected as the world’s largest no-take marine park in recognition of its enormous natural and maritime heritage value.

The event included supporters Vice Admiral (Rtd) David Shackleton AO (Chief of Navy 1999-2002) and Professor Terry Hughes, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, recent winner of the international Darwin Medal. The launch also included the release of a 70-page report that describes the natural and maritime heritage value of the Coral Sea. 

“An Australian Coral Sea Heritage Park would make an unparalleled contribution to Australian and international marine conservation,” said Imogen Zethoven AO, director of the Coral Sea campaign. “Its environmental significance and its historic importance as the site of the battle that turned the tide of WWII in our region make the Coral Sea a treasure worth protecting for future generations.”

"The Coral Sea is one of the few places globally where it is possible to designate a very large, no-take ocean park - in a nation with the capacity to properly manage and protect it and with a history of support for conservation,” said Jay Nelson of the Pew Environment Group, which spearheaded the effort to protect what is now the world’s largest no-take marine reserve in the Northwestern Hawaii Islands.

In their proposal to the Federal Government, the campaign partners are calling for one million square kilometres of the Coral Sea to be protected from extractive industries. The proposed park lies immediately to the east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and would be three times larger, extending to Australia’s maritime boundary with Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.

“The Coral Sea is a special part of Australia’s oceanic boundary, an area that has not been severely depleted of marine life,” said Vice Admiral Shackleton. “Given the rapid decline of large ocean fish, the onset of climate change and many other threats to our oceans, my colleague Vice Admiral Chris Ritchie and I suggest that stewardship of the Coral Sea needs to improve. A large no-take Coral Sea reserve would be a clear demonstration of Australia’s leadership in protecting our global maritime heritage.”

The Coral Sea has more than 25 spectacular coral reefs, remote islands, towering underwater mountains and deep-sea canyons. Its abundant wildlife includes top predators such as sharks, tuna and marlin as well as 25 species of whales, dolphins, manta rays, seabirds and a diverse range of corals and reef fish. The Coral Sea also provides crucial habitats for endangered Hawksbill and Green sea turtles, as well as small reef and large ocean sharks, such as hammerheads.

“This park would give the Coral Sea the protection it warrants and needs, and we are urging the Federal Government to act quickly to create it,” said Australian Conservation Foundation Marine Campaigner Chris Smyth.

It is also of great historical significance. In 1942, U.S. and Australia allied forces joined together in the Battle of the Coral Sea to prevent a Japanese sea invasion of Port Moresby. In two days of intense air battles, the American aircraft carrier USS Lexington was badly damaged, 216 of her crew lost their lives and two other American ships went down. While the Japanese sank more ships than they lost, the Allies successfully prevented a Japanese occupation of Port Moresby and greatly reduced the strength of Japanese forces for future critical battles.

“As the site of one of World War II’s most important battles, the Coral Sea is an ocean monument to those who fought to protect Australia’s borders and the region during this turbulent time,” said Vice Admiral Shackleton.

The Coral Sea also contains a large number of shipwrecks of great interest to maritime archaeologists and recreational divers.

The Australian Coral Sea Heritage Park initiative is part of the Pew Environment Group’s Global Ocean Legacy project and has the support of a broad range of agencies and non-governmental groups, including:

Australian National Maritime Museum
Battle for Australia Commemoration National Council
American Australian Association

Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Marine Conservation Society
Cairns and Far North Environment Centre

Civic Leaders in Australia:
Vice Admiral (Rtd) David Shackleton AO (Chief of Navy 1999-2002)
Vice Admiral (Rtd) Chris Ritchie AO (Chief of Navy 2002-2005)
Dr. Phil Burgess, Group Managing Director, Public Policy & Communications, Telstra

For more information, contact:
Blair Palese, 0414 659 511 or
Imogen Zethoven AO, Director, Coral Sea Campaign, Global Ocean Legacy, Pew Environment Group, Mob: 0406 382 378
www.globaloceanlegacy.org