A systematic evaluation of the incremental protection of broad-scale habitats at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Abstract

Incremental increases to marine conservation areas in response to changing goals, 15 policy, threats or new information are common practice world-wide. Ningaloo Reef, in 16 north-western Australia, is protected by the Ningaloo Marine Park (State Waters) which 17 was expanded incrementally in 2004 so that 34% of the park now comprises no-take 18 sanctuary zones. To test the hypothesis that all habitats (benthic cover types) at 19 Ningaloo are actually protected at this 34% level, a systematic conservation planning 20 exercise was conducted using existing broad-scale habitat data (as a surrogate for 21 marine biodiversity) and C-Plan decision-support software. Though subtidal and 22 intertidal coral communities were found to be adequately protected, other habitats, 23 particularly those in deeper waters seaward of the reef did not attain the 34% target. 24 Efficient incremental additions to the sanctuary zones to allow increased representation 25 of these under-represented habitats were explored with C-Plan. It is recommended that 26 systematic conservation planning incorporating new biodiversity and social information 27 (now becoming available) be undertaken for the next iteration of the Ningaloo Marine 28 Park management plan. This analysis at Ningaloo Reef serves as a useful example of a 29 post-hoc systematic approach to guide incremental expansion of existing marine 30 protected areas in other parts of the world.