Lower South East Marine Park is a marine protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the state's coastal waters in the stateâÂÂs south-east adjoining the border with the state of Victoria.
The Lower South East Marine Park consists of two parts which extend from "median high water" to the edge of coastal waters. The first part extends from Cape Buffon in the north-west to just north of Cape Banks in the south-east adjoining coastline within the boundary of the Canunda National Park. The second part which is largely within Discovery Bay extends from âÂÂPort MacDonnell Bayâ in the west to the state border in the east. This part âÂÂpartially overlaysâ the southern boundary of the part of the Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park which extends to low water.
The marine park was established on 29 January 2009 by proclamation under the Marine Parks Act 2007 and its extent was subsequently varied on 23 July 2009.
The marine park is divided into zones to managing the marine environment to ensure varying degrees of âÂÂprotection for habitats and biodiversityâ and varying levels of âÂÂecologically sustainable development and useâ as follows:
As of 2016, zones within the marine park has been classified using the system of protected area categories developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with the âÂÂsanctuary zonesâ being IUCN Category II, the âÂÂhabitat protection zonesâ being IUCN Category IV and the âÂÂgeneral managed use zonesâ being IUCN Category VI.