Procedures for establishing new marine reserves vested in the MPRA.

A new MPRA marine reserve is established by an order of the Governor published in the Gazette and tabled in both houses of Parliament.

The legislation specifies procedures to be followed in submitting proposals for new marine reserves. A draft Indicative Management Plan is prepared that describes the proposed location and boundaries of the reserve, and specifies its purpose and proposed management objectives and strategies. The draft Indicative Management Plan is released for public comment. The MPRA is required to submit a report on the proposal to the Minister for the Environment and on the public submissions that are made regarding it. The Minister must have the concurrence of the Ministers for Fisheries and Mines before submitting the proposal to the Governor.