The world鈥檚 largest fully protected marine reserve has been established in Australia鈥檚 remote sub-Antarctic waters. It will protect pristine icy habitats that are home to a range of threatened species, including the southern elephant seal.
At 6.5 million hectares, the Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) Marine Reserve is about one and a half times the size of Switzerland. It is located 4500 kilometres south-west of the Australian mainland and 1000 kilometres north of Antarctica.
The HIMI territory 鈥渃an be described as the wildest place on Earth 鈥� a smoking volcano under a burden of snow and glacial ice rising above the world鈥檚 stormiest waters,鈥� said environment minister David Kemp in a statement on Wednesday.
Advertisement
The islands represent the only sub-Antarctic group that contains no known species directly introduced by humans. In 1997, the HIMI joined the World Heritage List, ensuring some protection. 鈥淎s the only volcanically active sub-Antarctic islands they 鈥榦pen a window into the earth鈥�,鈥� the citation says.
Two landings
But the new marine reserve status will mean most human activity will be prohibited. Commercial fishing and mineral and petroleum exploration will be banned, and scientific research in the region limited.
Heard Island is the principal member of the group. It is home to Australia鈥檚 only active volcano, Big Ben, as well as vast numbers of penguins and seals. Due to its steep shoreline, only two successful landings have been made since it was discovered more than a century ago.
The islands鈥� extreme isolation and lack of introduced predators make them ideal for studying evolutionary processes, says the Australian government. 鈥淔or example, the Heard shag Phalacrocorax nivalis is found nowhere else but on Heard Island.鈥�
The new marine reserve is second only in size to the Maquarie Island reserve about 1500 kilometres off Australia鈥檚 southern tip.