Proposals for aquatic reserves at Jervis Bay.

Jervis Bay is a large, marine-dominated embayment located about 180km by road to the south of Sydney. The Bay displays a wide array of ecosystems, such as subtidal rocky reefs, extensive seagrass beds, mangrove stands and a variety of soft-bottom habitats. In addition, Jervis Bay offers considerable amenity in terms of its scenic beauty, clear waters and predominantly undeveloped shores. Although these ecosystems are generally not unique, it is unusual to find such a large area containing a wide variety of aquatic and coastal habitats remaining relatively undisturbed despite its close proximity to several major urban centres. This situation can, at least in part, be attributed to the presence of the Royal Australian Navy, which owns and/or has used large tracts of land bordering the Bay for many years.