Burdekin declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

  • Cape Bowling Green to Cape Upstart, Upstart Bay and the Burdekin delta, 10km east of Ayr and Home Hill
  • Plan number: FHA-005 (Revision 1)
  • Burdekin Shire Council

Management area and size

  • 92,320 ha – Management B.

Declaration history

  • 13 August 1999: Original declaration.
  • 21 December 2012: Redeclaration:
    • remove terrestrial lands.

Management features

  • Protection of valuable commercial, recreational and Indigenous fisheries resources.
  • Management of diverse habitats in good condition near Ayr.

Habitat values

  • Extensive mangrove communities with about 20 species (dominated by Rhizophora, Avicennia, and Ceriops) as well as the Cannonball mangrove (Xylocarpus mekongensis)
  • Dense seagrass meadows with at least 8 species of seagrass recorded
  • Extensive salt pans

Fisheries values

  • Commercial, recreational and Indigenous fishing.
  • Species:
    • Barramundi
    • Grunter
    • Flathead
    • Mullet
    • Salmon
    • Mackerel
    • Shark
    • Whiting
    • Mangrove jack
    • Queenfish
    • Bream
    • Dart
    • Trevally
    • Jewfish
    • Banana prawns (caught in coastal areas)
    • Tiger prawns (caught in coastal areas)
    • Mud crabs (caught frequently in all tidal areas).

Unique features

  • Adjacent to the Bowling Green Bay Ramsar Wetland.
  • Lies within and adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Other values

  • None presently identified.

References

  • Danaher, K 1995, Coastal wetlands resources investigation of the Burdekin Delta for declaration as fisheries reserves, Report to Ocean Rescue 2000.