THE 13,360sqkm Mentelle Basin off the South West Coast should become a marine sanctuary due to lack of commercial interest in exploring it for oil or gas, the NO OIL FOR SOUTH WEST BEACHES group has claimed. http://www.margaretrivermail.com.au/news/local/news/general/basin-area-should-be-sanctuary-no-oil-claim/2174743.aspx

THE Federal Government’s proposed maps of marine sanctuaries off the south west coast are inadequate, according to a University of WA and Centre for Marine Studies professor. http://www.busseltonmail.com.au/news/local/news/general/proposed-south-west-marine-sanctuaries-are-inadequate-according-to-uwa-professor/2174561.aspx

Fishermen at Bermagui have switched trades. The harbour town on the south coast of NSW, was once a busy fishing port with a functional, but plain old warehouse for processing the catch. http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2011/s3226661.htm?site=gippsland

There have been no bids for an oil exploration permit off the South West coast. The Federal Government announced last year it would make 31 areas around Australia available for petroleum exploration, including the Mentelle Basin about 75 kilometres off the coast of Margaret River. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/23/3223908.htm

One of WA’s leading environmental groups has labelled the Federal Government’s marine park plan for Australia’s south-west as “tokenistic”, saying it fails to protect some of the nation’s most important ocean habitats. http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/9462907/marine-parks-tokenistic/

Uninterrupted Indian Ocean swells travel thousands of kilometres across the sea to meet the edge of the Continental shelf, abrupt shallows of our Western coastline, and the shores of iconic surfing town Margaret River. On its way it rolls over Australia’s largest underwater island, the Naturaliste Plateau. Sitting in 5000 metres of water, the island […]

A plan for a reserve to protect marine life along the southern and western coasts of Australia has been released by the Federal Government. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/06/3209297.htm?site=news

Yesterday the Federal Environment Minister, Tony Bourke released details of the proposed marine parks for the south west corner of Australia. http://blogs.abc.net.au/wa/2011/05/south-west-marine-sanctuaries.html

An area more than twice the size of Victoria will be set aside as marine parks under long-awaited Commonwealth plans for a network of ocean reserves off Australia’s south-west. http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/9326371/marine-park-plan-a-missed-opportunity-for-wa/

Environment Minister Tony Burke today released the long-awaited draft maps that cover Western Australia’s south-west, from the coast off Geraldton through to Esperance, as well as the Great Australian Bight extension off South Australia. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/government-releases-draft-marine-parks-plan-20110505-1e9ss.html