Australia
more northerly sources of larvae. Some 477 species of
fish have been recorded at Lord Howe Island - for the
most part tropical but also including some temperate
species. Endemism is relatively high, with about 4 percent
of the fish unique to Lord Howe, Elizabeth and Middleton
Reefs. An outbreak of the crown-of-thorns starfish in
the 1980s caused extensive damage to both Elizabeth and
Middleton Reefs, considerably reducing coral cover, particularly on the outer reef slopes.
On the mainland coast, biodiversity in the Flinders Reef
is thought to rival that of the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs,
although it remains poorly documented. The Solitary Islands
are of more particular interest as they maintain a balance
of tropical and temperate species. Only 53 reef coral species
are recorded, and some 280 fish of which 80 percent are
considered tropical. The islands are also noted for their
large populations of sea anemones with their resident
clownfishes. Little penguins also nest in the islands
making this, with the Galapagos, one of the only places
where this group of predominantly Antarctic species may
be found near coral reef species.
Most of these reefs and coral communities have some
form of legal protection. Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs
are a marine reserve, while their isolation protects them
from large numbers of visitors. Lord Howe Island has a
resident population of about 300, and while tourism
provides the mainstay of the economy, total numbers are
limited and any impacts on the reef are small.
I
Protected areas with coral reefs
Site name
^^^^^^^^^^B Designation
i
Abbreviation
lUCN cat.
Size ikm:)
Year!
Australia
Ashnnore Reef
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
583.00
1983
Christmas Island
National Park
MP
II
87.00
1990
Cobourg
Marine Park
MP
VI
2 290.00
1983
Coringa - Herald
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
8 856.00
1983
Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
1 880.00
1987
Emden
Historic Shipwreck
Protected Zone
HSPZ
Unassigined
LOO
1982
Great Barrier Reef
Commonwealth Marine Park
CoMP
VI
3M 800.00 1979
Lihou Reef
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
8/136.91
1982
Lord Howe Island
Marine Park
MP
VI
^80.00
2000
Mermaid Reef
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
539.84
1991
Ningaloo
Marine Park
MP
VI
2 255.64
1987
Pulu Keeling
Commonwealth National Park CoNP
II
26.02
1995
Rowley Shoals
Marine Park
MP
VI
232.50
1990
Shark Bay
Marine Park
MP
VI
7 487.35
1990
Solitary Islands
Marine Reserve
MR
VI
1 000.00
1991
South West Solitary Island
Nature Reserve
NR
la
0.03
1961
Yongala
Historic Shipwreck
HShip
Unassigined
0.78
1982
Cobourg Peninsula
Ramsar Site
2 207.00
1974
Great Barrier Reef
World Heritage Site
348 700.00
1981
Lord Howe Island Group
World Heritage Site
11.76
1982
Moreton Bay
Ramsar Site
1 133.14
1993
Pulu Keeling National Park
Ramsar Site
1.22
1996
Shark Bay Western Australia
World Heritage Site
21 973.00
1991
Shoalwater and Corio Bays
Ramsar Site
2 391.00
1996
more northerly sources of larvae. Some 477 species of
fish have been recorded at Lord Howe Island - for the
most part tropical but also including some temperate
species. Endemism is relatively high, with about 4 percent
of the fish unique to Lord Howe, Elizabeth and Middleton
Reefs. An outbreak of the crown-of-thorns starfish in
the 1980s caused extensive damage to both Elizabeth and
Middleton Reefs, considerably reducing coral cover, particularly on the outer reef slopes.
On the mainland coast, biodiversity in the Flinders Reef
is thought to rival that of the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs,
although it remains poorly documented. The Solitary Islands
are of more particular interest as they maintain a balance
of tropical and temperate species. Only 53 reef coral species
are recorded, and some 280 fish of which 80 percent are
considered tropical. The islands are also noted for their
large populations of sea anemones with their resident
clownfishes. Little penguins also nest in the islands
making this, with the Galapagos, one of the only places
where this group of predominantly Antarctic species may
be found near coral reef species.
Most of these reefs and coral communities have some
form of legal protection. Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs
are a marine reserve, while their isolation protects them
from large numbers of visitors. Lord Howe Island has a
resident population of about 300, and while tourism
provides the mainstay of the economy, total numbers are
limited and any impacts on the reef are small.
I
Protected areas with coral reefs
Site name
^^^^^^^^^^B Designation
i
Abbreviation
lUCN cat.
Size ikm:)
Year!
Australia
Ashnnore Reef
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
583.00
1983
Christmas Island
National Park
MP
II
87.00
1990
Cobourg
Marine Park
MP
VI
2 290.00
1983
Coringa - Herald
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
8 856.00
1983
Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
1 880.00
1987
Emden
Historic Shipwreck
Protected Zone
HSPZ
Unassigined
LOO
1982
Great Barrier Reef
Commonwealth Marine Park
CoMP
VI
3M 800.00 1979
Lihou Reef
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
8/136.91
1982
Lord Howe Island
Marine Park
MP
VI
^80.00
2000
Mermaid Reef
National Nature Reserve
NNR
la
539.84
1991
Ningaloo
Marine Park
MP
VI
2 255.64
1987
Pulu Keeling
Commonwealth National Park CoNP
II
26.02
1995
Rowley Shoals
Marine Park
MP
VI
232.50
1990
Shark Bay
Marine Park
MP
VI
7 487.35
1990
Solitary Islands
Marine Reserve
MR
VI
1 000.00
1991
South West Solitary Island
Nature Reserve
NR
la
0.03
1961
Yongala
Historic Shipwreck
HShip
Unassigined
0.78
1982
Cobourg Peninsula
Ramsar Site
2 207.00
1974
Great Barrier Reef
World Heritage Site
348 700.00
1981
Lord Howe Island Group
World Heritage Site
11.76
1982
Moreton Bay
Ramsar Site
1 133.14
1993
Pulu Keeling National Park
Ramsar Site
1.22
1996
Shark Bay Western Australia
World Heritage Site
21 973.00
1991
Shoalwater and Corio Bays
Ramsar Site
2 391.00
1996