Marine Bioregional Planning in the North
The area
The North Marine Region covers more than 715,000 square kilometres of water in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Arafura Sea and the Timor Sea as far west as the Northern Territory – Western Australian border.
Map of the North Marine Region
Source: ERIN
Bioregions
The Region is divided into 4 provincial bioregional units under the Integrated Coastal and Marine Regionalisation of Australia (IMCRAv.4).
Ecological features
The Region is characterised by shallow-water tropical marine ecosystems. While endemism is not particularly high by Australian standards, the region is home to globally significant populations of dugong, turtles, sawfish and other species that are threatened globally. The region has major nesting rookeries for the olive ridley, hawksbill, green and flatback turtles and many areas of international importance as fish nursery habitats and for migratory birds.
The Region is dominated by monsoonal climatic patterns characterised by a pronounced wet season between December and March and generally dry conditions for the remainder of the year. The monsoonal weather pattern is a major driver of important ecological processes in the marine environment, particularly in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The interplay between predominantly dry south east trade winds from May to October and moister north-easterlies over the summer months contribute to the slow clockwise movement of water in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Tropical cyclones are a dominant feature between December and April, with most cyclonic activity concentrated in the Gulf of Carpentaria and across the Top End.
The large influx of freshwater run-off during the wet contributes to higher levels of productivity in parts of the Gulf of Carpentaria than most other parts of the region. Generally however, and in common with other parts of the Australian continental shelf, waters in the Northern Marine Region are generally low in nutrients. There are no major upwellings of nutrient-rich deep water within the region. Water temperatures in the region are among the highest in Australian waters and high by global standards.
Large predators (sharks, crocodiles and small cetaceans) are common in the region as are commercially significant fish species, including barramundi and spanish mackerel. More information on the key species in the region is available through the Key Species Report.
More information
As part of the Marine Bioregional Planning process, a Regional Profile will be developed, describing the region's key habitats, species; natural processes; heritage values and human uses. Download the brochure about the North Marine Region and the process for developing the North Marine Bioregional Plan.
Marine Protected Areas in the North
A key outcome of marine bioregional planning will be the identification of marine protected areas (MPAs) as part of the National Representative System of MPAs . The process for identifying MPAs in the Northern Marine Region will be outlined in detail in the Northern Regional Profile, which is now under development.
Development of the Northern Marine Bioregional Plan
Marine bioregional planning involves three key phases:
- Development of a Regional Profile identifying the important ecological, conservation and socio-economic values of the region;
- A draft Marine Bioregional Plan which will outline the draft conservation priorities the Government has identified and include a candidate network of Marine Protected Areas for the region; and
- A final Marine Bioregional Plan containing the Government’s conservation priorities for the region, measures to progress them and a final network of MPAs.
Work on the Regional Profile is well advanced. The draft Northern Marine Bioregional Plan is intended to be completed twelve months after the release of the Regional Profile. The Department is committed to targeted and effective stakeholder consultation throughout the planning process.
See also
Key
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