Australia’s marine parks protect ‘places no one goes’ rather than fragile coastal zones, scientists say

Hundreds of experts write to environment minister calling for stronger protections for ‘unique and distinct’ marine ecosystems

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The Australian government has been accused of leaving coastal waters largely unprotected by establishing the bulk of highly protected marine parks in remote areas.

More than 270 leading marine scientists from 84 research institutes have written to the environment minister, Murray Watt, urging stronger protections for marine ecosystems, as a once-in-a-decade review of marine parks gets under way.