Cleveland Bay declared Fish Habitat Area
Location and plan number
- Adjacent to Townsville, it stretches from south-east of Ross River to Cape Cleveland, including Sandfly, Alligator, Crocodile and Cocoa creeks and the Blacksoil and Salmon Creek coastal wetland systems adjacent to Bowling Green Bay
- Plan number: FHA-071
- Townsville City Council
Size and management level
- 21,810 ha – Management A.
Declaration history
- 28 March 2008: Original declaration.
Management features
- Protection of valuable commercial.
- Recreational and Indigenous fisheries resources.
- Wetlands buffer zone from industrial and residential development.
- Protection of the remaining undisturbed habitat.
Habitat values
- Extensive seagrass beds (dominated by Halodule and Halophila)
- Mangrove-lined estuaries
- 21 mangrove species, dominated by:
- Spotted or Red mangrove (Rhizophora stylosa)
- Yellow mangrove (Ceriops australis)
- Grey mangrove (Avicennia marina)
- Intertidal mud and sand flats
- Intertidal saltmarshes and salt pans
- Nursery habitats for highly productive and valuable commercial fisheries.
Fisheries values
- Commercial, recreational and Indigenous fisheries resources.
- Species:
- Banana prawns
- Tiger prawns
- Mud crabs
- Barramundi
- Mullet
- Shark
- Threadfin salmon.
Unique features
- Surrounded by national parks:
- Bowling Green Bay Ramsar Wetland
- Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
- Cleveland and Bowling Green Bay Dugong Protection Area.
- Important area for fisheries and fish habitat research.
Other values
- Important national and internationally significant habitat complex supporting endangered turtles and dugong.