Researchers from The University of Western Australia have found an area of tropical ocean protected under law is a hotspot for iconic marine life but does not provide enough defence from human activities.
While the Oceanic Shoals Marine Park was found to host an abundance of marine wildlife, the study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, found the zoning classifications of the park permitted activities that were not compatible with the conservation of these species.
The survey of marine life in one of the northernmost Commonwealth Marine Parks examined how species interacted with the area’s unique habitat features, including banks and pinnacles that attracted groups of sharks, turtles and large fish.
Using a combination of sampling techniques, including underwater videography, the team from UWA’s Marine Futures Lab documented 32 species from 370 hours of video footage.
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Image via University of Western Australia
