Call to increase no-fish, no-drill zones as marine park review looms

Richard Nicholls has completed 12,000 dives and supports stronger protections of oceans. (Supplied: Richard Nicholls)

Australia's dive industry has backed calls to expand no-fishing and no-drilling zones across the nation's oceans ahead of a federal review of marine parks.

The sector will today launch a public advertising campaign urging stronger protections in offshore waters, including the Coral Sea off Queensland.

The campaign comes as federal environment minister Murray Watt prepares to review 44 Commonwealth marine park protections — a process that takes place once a decade.

The fishing sector said any expansion of sanctuary zones must consider the impact on commercial fishing and regional jobs.

Osprey Reef off the Far North Queensland coast is a popular dive spot. (Supplied: Mike Ball Dive Expeditions)

Dive industry veteran Dr Terry Cummins said it was the first time the sector had mounted a coordinated national campaign on the future of Australia's oceans, with the dive tourism sector estimated by industry groups to be worth about $4.2 billion a year.

"We're not a bunch of greenies trying to save the planet. This is something that is extremely serious."

Dr Cummins, the president of Dive Queensland, said while the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was already well managed, some remote offshore areas — particularly in the adjoining Coral Sea —were not.

Terry Cummins from Dive Queensland wants more protection fo Australia's oceans. (ABC News: Brendan Mounter)

"These areas are breeding grounds for many different marine creatures that roam our oceans and eventually come right up to our coastline," he said.

"People come from all over the world to see a turtle or a shark. And if they're lucky enough to see a manta ray or a whale shark, they go home excited about the preservation of the oceans."

Mr Watt has been meeting with conservationists, fishers and representatives from the tourism, oil and gas sectors ahead of a public consultation period, which is expected to be announced soon.

The federal government has already committed to increasing "highly protected marine areas" from about 24 per cent of Australia's waters to 30 per cent by 2030.

The federal government has committed to increasing protected areas to 30 per cent by 2030. (Supplied: Mike Ball Dive Expeditions)

The government says about 2.2 million square kilometres of Australia's oceans are currently highly protected, with an additional 523,980 square kilometres needed to reach the target.

"We remain strongly committed to broad consultation throughout the review, and welcome all feed