Zones
Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park zones
The zones in Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park aims to conserve marine biodiversity while providing for a range of uses including beach activities, swimming, surfing, charter and recreational fishing, commercial fishing, scuba diving, sailing, boating and research.
Map of Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park
The marine park Zoning Map, User Guide and the FishSmart NSW app provide information about the zoning arrangements and management rules in the park.
- Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park Zoning Map (PDF, 3371.69 KB)
- Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine park User Guide (PDF, 2665.04 KB)
Some of the content on this page may not be fully accessible. To obtain an accessible version of this content please email marine.environment@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
Types of zones
| Zones | Description | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Sanctuary zones | Provide the highest level of protection for biodiversity and natural and cultural features | Activities that do not involve harming any animal, plant or habitat, including many recreational activities, such as boating, surfing, snorkelling, diving and permitted research and educational activities. |
| Habitat Protection zone | Protection to physical and biological habitats by reducing high impact activities | Recreational and commercial activities (including recreational fishing and some forms of commercial fishing), scientific research, educational activities and other activities Species that can be taken from Habitat Protection zones. |
| General Use zone | Provide for a wide range of environmentally sustainable activities | Recreational and commercial activities (including recreational and commercial fishing), scientific research and educational activities |
| Special Purpose zone | Provide for sites requiring special management arrangements including protection of Aboriginal and other cultural features or for marine facilities, or for specific park management reasons. | Traditional Aboriginal use, aquaculture, marinas and research facilities |
Species that can be taken from Habitat Protection zones*
*Some of the Habitat Protections zones (HPZ) in Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park have additional rules, including Dutchies Beach HPZ where no hand picking or attempting to take any invertebrate fish by hand picking is permitted . Please check the User Guide (PDF, 2665.04 KB) for further details.
| Common name | Class or Family | Species |
|---|---|---|
| Finfish (fish with fins and scales) | Class Osteichthyes | All species |
| Shark, ray | Class Chondrichthyes | All species |
| Lobster, crayfish | Family Palinuridae | All species |
| Slipper lobster | Family Scyllaridae | All species |
| Prawn | Family Penaeidae | All species |
| Squid | Family Sepiidae | All species |
| Cuttlefish | Family Spirulidae, Sepiidae and Sepiadariidae | All species |
| Beach worm | Family Onuphidae | All species |
| Ghost shrimp, Marine yabby (nipper) | Family Callianassidae | All species |
| Mud crab | Family Portunidae | Scyalla serrata |
| Blue swimmer crab | Family Portunidae | Portunus pelagicus |
| Rock crab | Family Grapsidae | All species |
| Oyster | Family Ostreidae | Saccostrea spp. and Crassostrea spp. |
| Akoya pearl oyster | Family Pteriidae | All species |
| Pipi | Family Donacidae | All species |
| Cockle | Family Orcidae | All species |
| Clam | Family Veneridae | All species |
| Mussel | Family Mytilidae | All species |
| Scallop | Family Pectinidae | All species |
| Sea urchin | Family Strongylocentrotidae | All species |
| Sea lettuce | Family Raninidae | Ulva lactuca |
| Cunjevoi | Family Pyuridae | All species |
| Turban shell | Family Turbinadae | All species |
| Abalone | Family Haliotidae | Haliotis rubra |
| Periwinkles | Family Trochidae | Austrocochlea spp. |
