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Marine and coastal management (continued)

Integrated coastal zone management

Integrated coastal zone management has been advocated for a long time to improve the systemic hindrances to more effective land management and also more effective management of the coastal zone (Resource Assessment Commission 1993). The description of what is meant by integrated includes both integration of agencies, issues and sectors and tiers of government but also includes integration of an approach to the land-sea interface. Two major problems have been identified which inhibit the sustainable use of Australia's coastal zone:

• fragmented management arrangements based on single issues or sectors, and
• the 'tyranny of small decisions', whereby over time a number of decisions that in themselves are not significant accumulate and interact to result in a significant impact on the coastal zone.

The number of agencies illustrates the challenge in coordination with some coastal responsibilities. In New South Wales, for example, there are 21 Councils and 31 other State agencies with responsibilities under the New South Wales Coastal Policy.

Both Victoria and New South Wales, for example, have established (or re-established) Coastal Councils to give effect to the Coastal Strategy (Victoria) and Coastal Policy (New South Wales). Queensland has recently released a draft State Coastal Management Plan. Tasmania has a State Coastal Policy. These approaches indicate the intended directions and identify the agencies responsible for achieving them, with a central agencies providing coordination.

Wescott (2001) has summarised the effectiveness of State and Territory institutional arrangements for integrated coastal zone management. The conclusion reached is that Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland (with the launch of its draft State Coastal Plan) have established statutory means to implement institutional arrangements including strategic plans and policies. There are still improvements that could be made, but progress is occurring. The other jurisdictions have a 'patchier' performance in their implementation of integrated coastal zone management.

Despite some concerns about the failure to implement all the Resource Assessment Commission recommendations, the Inquiry has certainly stimulated all States and the Northern Territory into action and given them a common objective - integrated coastal zone management - in the reform process over the last five years.

There is clearly still a need for a nationally applicable Coastal Zone Policy to be developed to further assist in reducing the fragmentation of effort to manage the coastal zone and associated coastal waters. This issue was highlighted by a House of Representatives report in 1991 (House of Representatives 1991) which said:

' The absence of a national perspective towards the entire Australian coastline could lead to national interests being undervalued or even lost for future generations, as the existing ad hoc, hodge-podge pattern of development slowly nibbles away at a precious and beautiful resource, the natural coastline.'

A key challenge for achieving integrated coastal zone management is the need for an institutional structure (and associated processes and procedures) to establish agreed outcome-based performance objectives for marine ecosystems.

The challenge is also for oceans management to identify the mechanisms and then design, implement and monitor performance by various ocean users to ensure they meet the agreed standards of ecologically sustainable use of ocean ecosystems. One important element of this strategy is the design and implementation of marine protected areas.

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