9 May
2006 - The Australian Government will invest $37.7
million to accelerate its regional marine planning
programme over the next four years, confirming
Australia as the world leader in protection of
marine resources and delivery of ecologically
sustainable development in the marine environment,
the Minister for the Environment and Heritage,
Senator Ian Campbell, announced today.
"The Australian Government's
investment of $37.7 million over four years will
develop comprehensive plans for Australia's 14
million square kilometre ocean jurisdiction,"
Senator Campbell said.
Senator Campbell said the plans
would draw on Australia's growing marine science
and socio-economic information base to provide
a detailed picture of each marine region. The
plans will describe each region's:
• key habitats, plants and animals,
and natural processes;
• human uses and benefits; and
• threats to the long-term ecological sustainability
of the region.
"The accelerated timeframe for marine planning
reflects streamlining in the process, which has
been brought under the powerful Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Under
the new approach, the focus will be on identifying
the Australian Government's conservation priorities
in each region," Senator Campbell said.
"This will give industry
a greater level of clarity about the conservation-related
obligations that they face in each region. This
will provide enhanced protection for the marine
environment, without bureaucratic hurdles such
as additional approval processes," he said.
The planning process will include
identification of a network of marine protected
areas as part of a range of conservation measures
in each region.
Marine Bioregional Plans will
be key reference documents for industry, and provide
a knowledge base in each region to guide decision
makers.
"Marine planning has already
made significant contributions to science and
increased our knowledge of the marine environment.
Marine Bioregional Plans will help improve our
understanding of the biodiversity of the marine
environment and the economic potential of Australia's
oceans by providing a clearer focus on conservation
and sustainable management," Senator Campbell
said.
Why is this important?
• Regional marine plans will help improve our
understanding of the biodiversity of the marine
environment and the economic potential of Australia's
oceans by providing a clearer focus on conservation
and sustainable management. They will also provide
greater certainty and guidance sought by industry
and other users of the marine environment, creating
an environment that fosters ecologically sustainable
development.
• Completion of the national marine planning programme
will confirm Australia as the world leader in
protection of marine resources and delivery of
ecologically sustainable development in the marine
environment.
Who will benefit?
• Australia's marine environment will benefit
through implementation of measures aimed at conserving
these resources, and provide for ecologically
sustainable industry development.
• Industry will be provided with a greater level
of clarity about the conservation-related obligations
that they face in each region. This move will
give enhanced protection for the marine environment,
without creating bureaucratic hurdles such as
additional approval processes.
• Marine Bioregional Plans will be key reference
documents for industry, and provide a knowledge
base in each region to guide decision makers.
• Australians will benefit through improved understanding
of the spectacular biodiversity and habitat within
our marine environment.
What funding is the Government committing to the
initiative?
• The Australian Government will provide $37.7
million over four years to deliver this programme.
This will involve further developing a series
of bioregional marine plans, including a system
of marine protected areas, over Australia's 14
million square kilometre ocean jurisdiction. This
year, focus will be on developing and implementing
the northern and south-western marine bioregional
plans for Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone.
When will the initiative conclude?
• The programme will conclude in 2010, by which
time planning will be substantially progressed
in all five of Australia's marine regions, including
the development of a national network of Marine
Protected Areas.
