Commercial fishing
Commercial fisheries that may operate in the marine park are:
- estuary general fishery
- lobster fishery
- ocean hauling fishery
- ocean prawn trawl fishery
- ocean trap and line fishery
In 2006–07, about 70 commercial fishers from Coffs Harbour, Woolgoolga, Arrawarra, Wooli, Minnie Water and Iluka operated within the park and surrounding waters. A small number of licensed commercial fishers from other areas also irregularly accessed the park.
Further details of the permitted commercial fishing activities are in the management rules, the zoning map (PDF, 1928.17 KB) and user guide (PDF, 3110.31 KB).
Other fisheries regulation also apply
Vessels travelling through sanctuary zones
Fishers may transit through any sanctuary zone (ie. Travelling from one place where the fishing gear can be legally used to another place the gear can be legally used) with:
- Fishing rod 'fully rigged', provided no part of the line is immersed in the water and no hook is baited
- Nets provided no part of the net is in the water
Grey Nurse Shark key habitat restrictions
Wire traces are not permitted to be used within 500 m of South Solitary Island and North Solitary Island, unless a vessel is under way.
Prohibition on commercial fish trapping
Commercial fish trapping is prohibited in:
- Grey Nurse Shark key habitat areas
- The commercial fish trapping closures located at:
- Sandon Shoals
- North West Rock
- North West Solitary Island
- Chopper Rocks
- Surgeons Reef
- Split Solitary Island
