Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 27 February 2012:

With reference to the Marine Bioregional Planning Program:

(1) On what scientific basis have the lines defining the bioregions of the South-west, North, North-west, Coral Sea and the Temperate East Marine Regions been determined.

(2) Can the scientific analysis that underpins the location of the closures be provided, including details of what specifically needs protection and what it is being protected from.

3) What peer reviewed scientific analysis has been used to ban trawling in each of the marine regions?

(4) How did the Minister formulate the policy that marine parks are the best way to conserve biodiversity?

(5) Has the Government assessed the number of boats that trawl in the highly protected (green zones), multiple-use, general purpose and special purpose zones?

(6) (a) What amount of fishing effort will have to be reduced and how many licences will have to be removed to allow the remaining boats to fish in areas that are not zoned; and (b) how were these figures determined.

(7) Has the Government estimated the cost of buying-out the licences and the boats that will be required to reduce the effort; if so, which government body will assess the compensation to fishermen.

(8) Can the Minister advise whether the Government will compensate allied seafood businesses, such as processors, wholesalers and retailers who will be severely impacted by the closures, many of which are located in regional towns that rely on industry jobs therefore forming an important part of the community.

(9) Can the Minister advise why a management plan was not prepared prior to the declaration of the bioregions.

(10) In regard to Australia's international obligations to establish marine reserves: (a) what is Australia's commitment; and (b) under which particular agreements is Australia bound.

(11) What is the total, quantifiable commitment made to international bodies and to which international bodies has Australia made a commitment.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1)   The bioregions within the South-west, North, North-west, Coral Sea and Temperate East regions are based on the Integrated Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia (IMCRA) Version 4.0.

(2)   The proposed marine reserves are based on the published Goals and Principles for the establishment of the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas in Commonwealth waters. Details about the application of the Goals and Principles are published online at:

-   http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/south-west/publications/pubs/detailed-analysis.pdf

-   http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/north-west/publications/pubs/northwest-detailed-analysis.pdf

-   http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/north/publications/pubs/north-detailed-analysis.pdf

-   http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/coralsea/publications/pubs/coralsea-detailed-analysis.pdf

-   http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/temperate-east/publications/pubs/te-detailed-analysis.pdf

(3)   Trawling has not been banned in the marine regions. Peer reviewed assessments addressing the compatibility of different fishing gear types for use in marine reserves, were conducted as part of the reserve design and zoning in each region.

(4)   The development of Commonwealth marine reserves around Australia is being undertaken as a key part of a bipartisan commitment made in 1998 by the Australian Government to establish a National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA). Guidelines for establishing the NRSMPA were developed by an inter-governmental Task Force on Marine Protected Areas and agreed to by all Australian governments in 1998. Australia's Commonwealth, state and Northern Territory governments are each working to establish representative marine protected areas in their waters.

(5)   Yes.

(6)   As final marine reserve boundaries and zoning are not yet determined, these figures are not available.

(7)   As final marine reserve boundaries and zoning are not yet determined, the Government has not finalised the costs of fisheries adjustment assistance.

(8)   The implementation of the Government's 2011 Fisheries Adjustment Policy will be considered when the final marine reserve boundaries and zoning are determined.

(9)   In accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, a reserve management plan cannot be prepared until a marine reserve has been formally proclaimed.

(10)   In the context of the 1992 Conference on Environment and Development and Agenda 21 Australian Governments committed to:

  "to establish across the nation a comprehensive system of protected areas which includes representative samples of all major ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine; manage the overall impacts of human use on protected areas; and restore habitats and ameliorate existing impacts such that nature conservation values are maintained and enhanced".

Under the Convention on Biological Diversity, to which Australia became a party in 1993, Australia has committed to:

"establish a system of protected areas where special measures need to be taken to conserve biological diversity".

In the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation endorsed in the Declaration on Sustainable Development at the World Summit of Sustainable Development in 2002 Australia agreed to:

"Develop and facilitate the use of diverse approaches and tools, including the ecosystem approach, the elimination of destructive fishing practices, the establishment of marine protected areas consistent with international law and based on scientific information, including representative networks by 2012 and time/area closures for the protection of nursery grounds and periods, proper coastal land use and watershed planning and the integration of marine and coastal areas management into key sectors."

This commitment was reflected in a decision by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2004 to establish a Program of Work on Protected Areas which described the manner in which parties to the Convention should give effect to the obligation to establish protected areas and included the objective:

"the establishment and maintenance by 2010 for terrestrial and by 2012 for marine areas of comprehensive, effectively managed, and ecologically representative national and regional systems of protected areas that collectively, inter alia through a global network contribute to achieving the three objectives of the Convention…".

In 2010, the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a new Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 which includes the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, of which target 11 is:

"by 2020, at least… 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures…".

The Strategic Plan supersedes the 2004 Program of Work on Protected Areas but does not supersede the 2002 Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

(11)   In the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development at the World Summit of Sustainable Development Australia committed to establishing representative marine protected area networks by 2012. This was a commitment made by the Howard Government and it received bipartisan support.