Coral Bay Boating Strategy

The Department of Environment and Conservation is in the transition process of making significant improvements to the management of boating and swimming at southern Bill's Bay, adjacent to Coral Bay, within Ningaloo Marine Park. Southern Bill's Bay is within Maud Sanctuary Zone, which is to be managed for conservation and low impact recreation and tourism.

The bay is a very popular area for boating, swimming, snorkelling and other water related activities. The increasing numbers of visitors and vessels and their impact in and around the Maud Sanctuary Zone, in the waters of Bill's Bay has become a major concern not only to the department but also to the wider community.

There is a more immediate need to manage boating activities in the Coral Bay area in response to the area’s popularity as a tourism destination. The increase in visitor numbers has led to an increase in the potential conflict with swimmers, snorkellers, divers and boat users and significant damage to coral has occurred from indiscriminate anchoring and mooring. Vessels navigating the shallow channel are also causing significant coral damage.

To address these concerns the Coral Bay Boating Strategy was developed in consultation with representatives from commercial tourism operators, recreational fishers, commercial fishers and Government agencies. The Strategy provides a clear direction for the department to manage uses of Maud Sanctuary Zone, Ningaloo Marine Park, in an equitable manner.

A draft Coral Bay Boating Strategy was released for a comment period in 2002. The comments were summarised and considered by the Coral Bay Reference Group and the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority (MPRA). Recommendations were made and approved by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage in December 2002.

Since then, the department has been implementing the Coral Bay Boating Strategy. In doing so, a number of changes have occurred that of which all users need to be aware, to conserve the fragile marine environment and to reduce safety issues for swimmers.

Please refer to the Coral Bay Boating Strategy (pdf, 396kb) brochure and Why we need public moorings at Coral Bay (pdf, 496kb) brochure for further information.