Arafura Marine Park

About

The Arafura Marine Park, about 250 km (160 mi) north-east of Darwin, is Australia's most northern marine park, and is part of the North Network of Australian Marine Parks. The Aboriginal clans of Mandilarri-Ildugij, the Mangalara, the Murran, the Gadura-Minaga and the Ngaynjaharr whose sea country this is, share some of the responsibilities for the park. The marine park covers 22,924 km2 (8,851 sq mi), and has depths from 5 metres (16 ft) to over 500 metres (1,600 ft). The park is managed as an IUCN category VI park with three zones (see figure 1): a multiple use zone, a special purpose zone and a special purpose (trawl) zone. Important sections of the park (see figure 2) include the Money Shoal, which is an area of raised sea-bed, thought to have been produced by periods of coral reef growth during the Quaternary and differing sea levels.

carries an abundant and varied assemblage of coral and organisms associated with coral reefs, an abundance of hard corals in the shallows, filter feeders on the shoal margins, while in the deeper areas of the sediment plains, there is little to no benthos.

Dense Branching corals of Money Shoal Soft coral and macroalgae dominated community in intermediate depths Benthic Community at Money Shoal Grey reef sharks at Money Shoal Epinephelus lanceolatus at Money Shoal

- Lepidochelys olivacea (Olive Ridley Turtle)

- Lutjanus malabaricus, Lutjanus erythropterus (red snappers)

- Pristipomoides multidens (goldband snapper)