Declared Fish Habitat Area summary - Bowling Green Bay
Mangrove stands of the Bowling Green Bay declared Fish Habitat Area
Location
Bowling Green Bay, 30 km east of Townsville.
Plan number
Size
68,573 ha
Management level
A
Declaration dates
25 November 1989 (original declaration)
24 July 1998 (redeclared to cadastral boundaries)
Local government
Townsville City Council and Burdekin Shire Council
Management features
Conservation of commercial, recreational and Indigenous fishing grounds and resources.
Habitat values
Closed Rhizophora and Ceriops dominated mangrove stands; extensive areas of salt marsh; sparse seagrass beds within the bay; sand and mud flats; sandy beaches.
Fisheries values
Major barramundi nursery habitat; area identified as important to the food chain of offshore billfish fishery; barramundi; blue salmon; bream; estuary cod; flathead; grey mackerel; grunter; mangrove jack; queenfish; school mackerel; whiting; tiger and banana prawns.
Unique features
Adjacent to Bowling Green Bay RAMSAR wetlands; brackish and freshwater lagoons immediately upstream.
Other values
Important dugong and loggerhead turtle habitat.