Nearest town or city Vivonne Bay. Area 7.3 km² | Established after 1971 | |
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Bales Beach Aquatic Reserve is a marine protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in waters off the south coast of Kangaroo Island immediately adjoining and including the intertidal zone within the locality of Seal Bay whose full extent is occupied by the Seal Bay Conservation Park.
It was declared after 1971 for the purpose of ‘the protection of a major breeding colony of the Australian sea lion’. The collection or the removal of any marine organism is prohibited within the reserve. The aquatic reserve which immediately adjoins the Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve extents eastward for a distance of about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) Bay and also extends seaward a distance of about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi). It has an area of 7.3 square kilometres (2.8 sq mi). While it is managed in conjunction with the Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve, it was gazetted as a separate aquatic reserve.
Since 2012, it has been located within the boundaries of a “habitat protection zone” within the Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park.
The aquatic reserve is classified as an IUCN Category II protected area.