Welcome to the Save our Seas website!
The Save our Seas campaign is the newly launched campaign by the North Queensland Conservation Council (NQCC) in partnership with Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC), the peak regional conservation organisations in North Queensland, Australia.
This site is still under construction with lots of information yet to be added. However, once complete it will contain a wealth of information on the Coral Sea and opportunities for you to actively contribute to the campaign and help preserve this magnificient area.
Coral Sea-oil drilling
The primary focus of the campaign is to lobby the Australian Government to extend the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This will ensure that the unique and fragile reefs, islands and atolls of this region are protected from the looming threat posed by oil industry development.
The Coral Sea is currently under direct threat from the potential of oil exploration and oil extraction. This area has been identified on the Australian government 2004 white paper, Securing Australia’s Energy Future, as a ‘frontier area’ (red hatched area) entitling oil and gas companies to exploration-based tax incentives.
Why extending the Marine Park is the best option?
Extending the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Zone to Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone has many benefits, it will
prohibit the development of a future offshore oil industry;
protect an under-represented and under-protected ecosystem;
ensure sustainable management of existing and future industries;
protect breeding areas for endangered marine turtles;
protect rookeries for many migratory bird species;
conserve the internationally renowned Coral Sea shark populations;
create awareness of the unique beauty of this special area;
protect the aquatic mega-fauna this area is becoming renowned for;
enhance the image of this region as an eco-tourism destination.
The campaign
Please take few minutes to explore this website and learn about the exceptional values of the Coral Sea, the threats put on this environment and the campaign to protect the region.