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Coasts and Oceans
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Keep up with Australian Government activities in the marine environment. Read the latest bulletin
Explore the mysteries of the deep and discover more about our amazing oceans
Obtain information about the coastal and marine legislation, policies and programs which are developed and implemented by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
The first major production of the Australian Government's marine bioregional planning programme has been released. More information about the South-west Bioregional Profile
In 2006, following a review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 , a series of measures was proposed to strengthen legal, governance and policy frameworks relating to management and long-term protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Read more about the 2006 Review and the implementation of these measures.
The Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC) endorsed the Framework for a National Cooperative Approach to Integrated Coastal Zone Management (the Framework) on 3 October 2003. Integrated Coastal Zone Management aims to protect coastal and estuarine water quality, coastal biodiversity and the economic base of coastal areas around Australia. More about Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Australia
The second Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan Annual Report has been released. This Reef Plan Annual Report highlights more of the Australian and Queensland Government initiatives that will help to protect the reef.
For more information, see the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan
The Department is implementing a structural adjustment package for fishers, their employees and other businesses/workers who are significantly negatively impacted by the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park which came into effect on 1 July 2004. The rezoning has resulted in the area of the GBRMP closed to commercial fishing increasing from 4.5% to 33%. The business advice, business exit, business restructuring and employee assistance components of the package are being managed by the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority. An Information package can be obtained from the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority.
The report reviews the licence buyout component of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Structural Adjustment Package. This is the first component of the package to be completed. The Department bought 122 commercial fishing licences from businesses that operated in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in order to offset the loss of area available to commercial fishing. The review considers the Department met the targets set for the buyout and that the approaches adopted were reasonable. It goes on to make recommendations on how any future adjustment packages could be improved.
The Coastal Catchments Initiative aims to achieve target reductions in pollutant discharges to coastal water quality hotspots. This will be through the development and implementation of Water Quality Improvement Plans, prepared in accordance with the Australian Government's Framework for Marine and Estuarine Water Quality Protection. More about Coastal Catchments Initiative
