CANBERRA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Australia has planned to establish a new protected marine zone in the southwestern Pacific Ocean to safeguard the future of millions of penguins, seals and sea birds.
Tanya Plibersek, the Minister for Environment and Water, on Thursday announced plans to triple the size of the Macquarie Island Marine Park to protect the entire exclusive economic zone around the island.
Lying south of Australia, halfway to Antarctica, Macquarie Island is a critical habitat for millions of seabirds, seals and penguins, including the royal penguin which is found nowhere else in the world.
Only 35 km long and five km across, the shores of the island are a breeding ground for several species of sea birds.
The island and surrounding waters out to 12 nautical miles were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 because of its natural value.
"The proposal includes a new high protection zone larger than the area of Germany, an important contribution to our commitment to protect 30 percent of our land and 30 percent of our oceans by 2030," Plibersek said in a media release.
Some environmentalists have welcomed the announcement.
Plibersek said the proposed design would also support the continuation of the small and sustainable Macquarie Island toothfish fishery. ■
