10 November
2008 - Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the
Arts Peter Garrett today launched a comprehensive report
on the biodiversity, ecosystems and social and economic
uses of the oceans of northern Australia.
“The North Marine Bioregional Profile
brings together, for the first time, the best available
information for the North Marine Region. It consolidates
our knowledge of the unique shallow basin and shelf communities
and habitats of the Arafura and eastern Timor Seas, including
the area’s natural features and values and the ways in
which we use and enjoy them.
Mr Garrett said the Australian Government
was committed to protecting the biological diversity of
its oceans for the benefit of current and future generations.
“Marine Profiles such as this will help
to address our lack of knowledge of ocean biodiversity,
especially the species and ecosystems of the more remote
and deeper areas.
“These information gaps have presented
challenges in developing effective strategies to manage
both the large and small scale impacts of change in ocean
ecosystems, such as climate change.”
“The Government’s program of marine
bioregional planning is helping us to better understand
and protect the marine environment, conserve biodiversity
and deliver greater certainty to decision-makers and the
wider community about Australia’s marine conservation
priorities.
“It also assists industries that rely
on the oceans natural resources, collectively worth billions
of dollars each year to the Australian economy, to better
plan and manage their activities.
“The North Bioregional Profile is the
starting point for developing a Marine Bioregional Plan
for the Region, which I will be releasing in 2010.
”This is one of five Plans that together
will identify the conservation values across more than
seven million square kilometres of Australia’s oceans
and the actions we need to take to protect them, including
the areas we will look to include in the national marine
protected area network.
“No-where else in the world is marine
conservation planning being undertaken at this scale and
in this timeframe.”
Australia’s existing marine protected
area estate, covering some 88 million hectares, is already
among the largest in the world.
“With the assistance and involvement
of all stakeholders, I believe that bioregional planning
can set a global standard in marine planning and management.”
The North Marine Region includes Commonwealth
waters stretching from the Northern Territory/Western
Australian border in the west, to the Torres Strait in
the east, including the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Commonwealth waters extend from three
nautical miles offshore out to the limit of Australia’s
Exclusive Economic Zone, some 200 nautical miles offshore.
The North Marine Region
The North Marine Bioregional Profile can be downloaded
at: http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/north/index.html
+ More
North-West Marine Profile to underpin
planning process
10 November 2008 - The release of a
comprehensive profile of Australia's North-west Marine
Region is the first step in the marine planning process
for one of our most environmentally sensitive and economically
important ocean areas, Minister for the Environment, Water,
Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett said today.
Mr Garrett said today's release of the
North-west Marine Bioregional Profile completed the first
milestone in the planning process, which will culminate
within two years with a Marine Bioregional Plan including
a network of Marine Protected Areas.
"The North-west Bioregional Profile
consolidates the best and latest environmental information
on this vast area that includes Commonwealth waters stretching
from west of Kalbarri, south of Shark Bay on the Western
Australian coast, around the north-west corner of Australia
to the Northern Territory border," Mr Garrett said.
"This body of work will be crucial
as we plan for greater protection of marine biodiversity
in a region characterised by sub-tropical and tropical
ecosystems and iconic creatures including turtles, dugongs
and the famous Ningaloo whale sharks."
"Marine Bioregional Planning will
help ensure that national economic assets such as the
oil and gas and commercial fishing industries can prosper
and that the impact of any conservation measures on them
are minimised."
The North-west Marine Region accounts
for 67 per cent of Australia's oil and condensate production
(2006-07 value of $16.4 billion) and 69 per cent of its
gas reserves. It also features 16 commercial fisheries
in offshore, Commonwealth waters and a further 15 fisheries
in state waters. In 2005-06, the finfish, prawn and crab
industries associated with the region were valued at around
$42 million.
"Protecting this rich and diverse
Marine Region is valuable not only for Australia's environmental
sustainability, but for our economic development into
the future. The North-west Marine Bioregional Profile,
ensures we have an information base upon which to make
environmental decisions and set priorities for management,"
Mr Garrett said.
"The North-west Marine Region already
has in place four important Commonwealth marine reserves,
which play a vital role in protecting resources and biodiversity
in these waters. The Australian Government and stakeholders,
including the indigenous community, now have the data
to begin discussions on the shape of a network of Marine
Protected Areas in Commonwealth waters that truly represents
the biodiversity of this region."
Mr Garrett said he aimed to release
a Marine Bioregional Plan for the region in mid 2010.
The North-west marine region
More information on the North-west Marine Bioregional
Profilecan be found at www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/north-west
