Marine Protected Areas : Special Areas

Marine Protected areas are special places set aside to protect the plants and animals that live in the seas. This video examines the special values and importance of marine protected areas, through a series of case studies around Australia including the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve in New South Wales which faced initial opposition to its declaration but now has considerable community support; the Hervey Bay Marine Reserve in Queensland, centre of a lucrative whale-watching industry; and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia's largest marine protected area. It also contains a spectacular footage of some of Australia's diverse and interesting marine life, from whale sharks to corals, from giant kelp to tiny fish, from seagrass to stromatolites.