Marine Parks in South Australia

The Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) is responsible for coastal management and coast and marine conservation in South Australia. Conservation efforts include marine parks and marine planning initiatives.

Marine parks

The Government of South Australia is committed to establishing 19 new marine parks by 2010. Marine parks will protect the long-term health of the marine environment by conserving examples of all marine life, including plants, fish and other animals, the habitats they rely on (e.g. seagrass meadows, reefs and mangrove forests) and important natural processes and life support systems.

Marine planning

Marine planning seeks to protect the marine, coastal and estuarine environment, outside of marine parks, by reducing the impacts caused by development and use. DEH provides information to Natural Resources Management Boards and coastal management agencies at State and Local Government level, to assist them to manage the marine environment.

Estuaries Policy and Action Plan

The draft Estuaries Policy and Action Plan aims to improve the health of South Australia’s estuaries through a coordinated management approach.