Marine Bioregional Planning - North-west Marine Region
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2009
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What is marine bioregional planning?
Australia's marine bioregional planning program is designed to provide a clearer focus on conservation and sustainable management of Australia's marine environment. It is a process that is underpinned by the principles of ecologically sustainable development and it takes an ecosystem approach in managing Australia's marine biodiversity and environment.
Marine bioregional planning is currently being implemented in five marine bioregional planning regions - the South-west, North-west, North, East and South-east Marine Regions (Map 1). .
Map 1: Marine Bioregional Planning Regions
Where is the North-west marine region?
The North-west marine region covers 1.07 million square kilometres of ocean adjacent to Western Australia from Kalbarri to the border between Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Features of the North-west marine region include a large area of continental shelf and continental slope, highly variable tidal regimes, and a very high incidence of cyclones. The region is also influenced by a complex system of ocean currents with significant seasonal and inter-annual variability. Generally the region's surface waters are warm and nutrient-poor, and of low salinity. The region is home to globally significant populations of internationally threatened species.
What does marine bioregional planning involve?
The marine bioregional planning process focuses primarily on Commonwealth waters (the area of Australian jurisdiction that extends past state/Northern Territory waters from around 3 nautical miles to the outer limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone some 200 nautical miles from the shore).
Marine Bioregional Plans are being developed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and will fulfil the Australian Government's commitment to establishing a National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas as agreed by all Australian governments in 1998.
There are two major parts to the marine bioregional planning process: regional assessment and implementation of Australia's National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas.
Regional assessment involves identification of the conservation values of each Marine Region, analysis of the threats to those values, and identification of measures required to protect those values and facilitate decision-making under the EPBC Act.
Regional networks of new representative marine reserves will also be identified through the marine bioregional planning process. These regional networks will become part of Australia's National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA).
The marine bioregional planning process involves three key steps: preparation of a Bioregional Profile, development of a draft Marine Bioregional Plan, and completion of a final Marine Bioregional Plan.
The Bioregional Profiles describe the ecological and biophysical features and the conservation values of each Region and outline human activities that occur within each Region. The Goals and Principles that guide the identification of new marine reserves are also described. Bioregional Profiles have been released for the East, North, North-west and South-west Marine Regions.
Draft Marine Bioregional Plans are currently being developed for each Marine Region. Each draft Plan will outline a draft network of proposed marine reserves and identify regional priorities and conservation measures. A minimum 60 day consultation period will follow the public release of the draft Plans.
The final Marine Bioregional Plans will provide information on the conservation values and the current and emerging pressures within each region. The Plans will describe key conservation and heritage priorities and the range of legislative and administrative tools available to the Government to manage them. The proposed network of new marine reserves and their zoning arrangements will also be presented. All Marine Bioregional Plans are scheduled to be completed during 2010.
What is a marine reserve?
Marine reserves (sometimes also called marine protected areas or marine parks) are any area of the ocean which has been reserved by law or other effective means for the purposes of marine biodiversity protection.
Why are we developing new marine reserves?
Australia has national and international commitments to implement a National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA) by 2012. The primary goal of the NRSMPA is to establish and manage a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine reserves to contribute to the long-term conservation of marine ecosystems and to protect marine biodiversity at all levels.
How are new marine reserves being identified?
In 1998 the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council released the 'Guidelines for establishing the national representative system of marine protected areas' (the Guidelines). The Guidelines provide for nationally consistent framework for identifying new marine reserves and they emphasise the strong role that science needs to play in the process. The Guidelines allow for each government in Australia to develop its own approach and policy for implementing them.
The Australian Government policy for implementing the Guidelines and identifying suitable areas for inclusion in the NRSMPA is the Goals and Principles for the Establishment of the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas in Commonwealth Waters (the Goals and Principles). The Australian Government is using these Goals and Principles to gather relevant information, including socio-economic data, and ensure that the identification of new marine reserves is based on systematic and comprehensive analysis of all relevant considerations.
What are Areas for Further Assessment?
Areas for Further Assessment are an important step in refining information on human uses and socio-economic values in the marine environment. They are large areas that encompass examples of the range of biodiversity and ecosystems within each Region and they are identified though assessment of information compiled using the Goals and Principles for the Establishment of the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas in Commonwealth Waters.
Areas for Further Assessment are not the proposed boundaries for new marine reserves. Instead, they are intended to aid further analysis of information at a more detailed scale and assist in the design of new marine reserves.
Based on ecological information and information obtained from key stakeholders on human activities within the areas for further assessment, the location and zoning arrangements of a new network of marine reserves will be developed. This process aims to ensure that conservation outcomes are maximised while socio-economic costs associated with establishing marine reserves are minimised.
Where are the Areas for Further Assessment in the North Marine Region?
Areas for Further Assessment have been identified in the North-west Marine Region (Map 2). These areas have been identified on the basis of an analysis of marine species and ecosystems and an initial assessment of human activities in Commonwealth waters. Stakeholders will be consulted to improve information on human activities within these areas, focusing on developing a thorough understanding of the potential socio-economic impacts of new marine reserves that may be established.
What activities are allowed in marine reserves and how will they be managed?
The network of new marine reserves established through the marine bioregional planning process will be zoned to allow different uses to occur within them as long as those uses are consistent with the protection of biodiversity. While most of each new marine reserve will be zoned to allow many uses and activities to continue, highly protected zones will also be identified within each new marine reserve.
What will happen to existing activities that are not allowed within new marine reserves?
A process to develop a policy for managing activities that are impacted through the declaration of new marine reserves is underway. The policy will establish the objectives, principles and directions for addressing the management of impacts arising from the declaration of new reserves, including the displacement of activities.
An Australian Government Steering Group has been established to guide the development of this displaced activities policy. The Steering Group is supported by a Stakeholder Advisory Group which consists of representatives from indigenous communities and key sectors including commercial, charter and recreational fishing, petroleum, conservation, ports and shipping.
Recommendations on the displaced activities policy are intended to be available for Ministerial consideration by October 2009.
How can I get involved in the marine bioregional planning process?
The Australian Government welcomes any contribution that will assist in developing Marine Bioregional Plans. While information from marine resource users, researchers and managers will be identified throughout the process, the Marine Bioregional Planning Program also involves key steps during which the public is invited to provide input.
Consultation with stakeholders will focus on issues and activities relevant to each marine region and workshops will be held to provide updates on progress and to discuss and seek feedback on planning approaches. In addition to these workshops, targeted consultation will be undertaken on specific aspects of the planning process.
A formal public consultation period of at least 60 days will occur on the release of each draft Marine Bioregional Plan. During this public consultation period stakeholders will be contacted and public meetings will be held where needed to facilitate and discuss feedback on the draft Plan. Views expressed by stakeholders will be considered before the final Marine Bioregional Plan is completed for each Region.
After the Minister has adopted the final Marine Bioregional Plans, the proposed network of new marine reserves will be declared through a separate process. This declaration process involves additional public consultation and another formal 60 day feedback period.
Requests for additional information, or any questions and comments may be directed to:
NW_Marine_Plan@environment.gov.au
Or mail to:
The Director
Tropical West Marine Conservation
Marine Division
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
Edgar Waite Building
203 Channel Highway
Kingston TAS 7050
Map 2: Map of Areas for Further Assessment in the North-West Marine Region
© Commonwealth of Australia 2009
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The contents of this document have been compiled using a range of source materials and is valid as at September 2009. The Australian Government is not liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of or reliance on the contents of the document.
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